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The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
A new report released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation this week shows an improvement in the turnaround time for processing of rape kits.
The report shows that the average turnaround time has decreased since last August. At that time, it took an average of 45.4 weeks for a sexual assault kit to be processed; as of May, that time had dropped to 22.7 weeks.
This decrease has been reflected at all three of the TBI’s testing locations in Jackson, Nashville, and Knoxville.
The TBI says that the turnaround time can vary based on a variety of factors, with some cases still taking several months to return, while expedited requests are processed within a couple of days.
Additionally, the number of pending rape kits statewide has dropped from an all-time high of 1,005 as of last October to 476 in May.
The September 2022 murder of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher brought attention to the TBI’s backlog of kits after it was found that the man charged with her murder was linked to a 2021 rape with a kit that had remained unprocessed in Jackson for almost a year.
Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis-District 33) sponsored legislation that would require the TBI to provide a quarterly update on testing times.
“We filed this legislation because victims of sexual assault deserve transparency and accountability from the state and an 11-month wait time for DNA test results is an unacceptable threat to public safety,” said Lamar. “A six-month turnaround time is still not where we need to be, but the TBI is making clear progress.”
The TBI did receive federal funding that allowed them to send 858 kits to Florida for testing. They were also given funding for 50 positions in the TBI Forensic Services Division, 40 of which have been filled.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
