Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

KPBS Midday Edition

Why Rape Kits Go Untested In San Diego

Vials of evidence in a sexual assault case are labeled and sorted at the Houston Forensic Science Center, April 2, 2015.
Associated Press
Vials of evidence in a sexual assault case are labeled and sorted at the Houston Forensic Science Center, April 2, 2015.

Why Rape Kits Go Untested In San Diego
Why Rape Kits Go Untested In San Diego GUEST: Kelly Davis, freelance journalist

In 2014, a state audit looked at the rape kit backlog for three California cities: Sacramento, Oakland and San Diego.

The audit found less than half of the kits were tested.

Advertisement

Since that time, two of the three cities — Sacramento and Oakland — began a policy of testing all rape kits. San Diego has not.

According to Voice of San Diego, the San Diego Police Department believes testing all rape kit evidence is not the smartest or most efficient way to investigate rape cases.

SDPD has said it has about 2,400 rape kits that have not been sent to the crime lab to get analyzed.

Kelly Davis, a San Diego-based freelance journalist who wrote the story for Voice of San Diego, discusses how San Diego handles rape kits on Midday Edition on Tuesday.

Fact-based local news is essential

KPBS keeps you informed with local stories you need to know about — with no paywall. Our news is free for everyone because people like you help fund it.

Without federal funding, community support is our lifeline.
Make a gift to protect the future of KPBS.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.