The state Health Department yesterday released a list of the number of “rape kits” that have not yet been laboratory-tested, leaving those sexual assault cases unresolved. The report shows that the number of untested rape kits fell from 3,217 in September of 2015 to 1,214 by the end of last year, but nearly 200 police departments haven’t reported, including Pittsburgh.
In Indiana County, seven rape kits are listed as having waited for laboratory testing for more than a year. They are all from Indiana Borough. The other county police departments reporting to the state were Blairsville, Cherry Tree, Homer City, IUP, and Saltsburg.
State Auditor General Eugene Depasquale said yesterday that the legislature needs to do more. He says the new state law that requires police departments to report backlogged rape kits fails to provide the money to the agencies, including the funding for testing at Pennsylvania’s three major public crime labs.
Pittsburgh, by the way, did not report as mandated, but a spokesperson yesterday said they did not have any untested rape kits.
