Скачать или смотреть Rape Kit Backlog in Oregon

Medford Police have 150 rape kits currently on file, 09/14/15, (KTVL/Megan Allison)

By Megan Allison/KTVL.com

Medford --

In August 2015 Oregon law enforcement had more than 5600 untested rape kits. Normally the Oregon State Police general fund covers these kits, but Lieutenant Bill Fugate said a federal grant was needed for the more than 2400 untested kits in Portland.

"Based upon this backlog that's out there, we don't have the ability to just process them overnight," he said.

This funding will be used to outsource the kits to independent labs to be tested. Although the federal grant is for Portland, Lieutenant Mike Budreau with Medford Police said the problem is universal.

"All the agencies are dealing with the backlog. Because a lot of agencies have extra kits or have these kits because they really didn't need them to prosecute the case. So the question is, what do you do? Do you destroy the kit, or should you have it tested," he said.

Budreau said cases often stack up because the kit isn't needed to investigate the case, or there isn't enough evidence from both sides to prosecute.

"It's hard to compare to some of the bigger agencies, but we currently have about 150 or so rape kits that are currently in evidence since about 2000 just that we've had on cases," he said.

A rape kit is just the first step in prosecuting a sexual assault. There is a short window to collect this evidence, but it can sit for years if a victim chooses not to pursue the case.

"Usually it's not an issue of if sexual contact occured but it's the why part. It's the consent issue. So, when it comes to sexual assault investigations the first thing that we do as investigators is get that rape kit," Budreau said.

He said rape kits are most useful for stranger rapes or when a suspect is denying that sexual contact occured. The kits are often stored in case the suspect can be linked to other cases.