TBI gets grant for testing unprocessed rape kits

September 10, 2015

MorrisAdmin,

Nashville, TN (WDEF) – More than 1,400 sexual assault kits in Tennessee will now be able to be processed thanks to a grant from the New York District Attorney’s (DANY) Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Program.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation received the $976,420 grant Thursday.

A 2014 bill required an inventory of unprocessed kits from around the state.

The TBI is part of a task force to reduce that inventory.

The DANY grant will pay for the cost of a private vendor to process those kits.

“This grant money represents a faster path toward justice for those victims who have had their cases linger while waiting for sexual assault kits to be processed,” says TBI Director Mark Gwyn.

The results will be sent back to the TBI for further review of each case.

Since July all sexual assault kits have to be submitted for processing within 60 days of being taken.