Pennsylvania is getting a big grant to establish a tracking system for sexual assault kits.
The federal government is giving the state $2.5 million for the new system, which is meant to support sexual assault survivors by increasing accountability and transparency.
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency says these kits are vital tools to preserve DNA and other evidence that’s crucial for sexual assault investigations. However, testing can be a lengthy process and there are often significant backlogs at crime labs.
The new tracking system will let survivors know where their kit is throughout the testing process. It will also help reduce the number of unsubmitted or partially tested kits in the state.
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