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Supporting States to Test Sexual Assault Evidence

NCJ Number
251605
Author(s)
Juliet Rolando; Gerald LaPorte; Kim Murga; Matthew Gamette; Jay Henry
Date Published
April 2018
Length
2 pages
Annotation
In this video and accompanying transcript, crime laboratory and law enforcement personnel from three states discuss the value of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the FBI Sexual Assault Kit Partnership in testing sexual assault evidence and obtaining investigatory leads.
Abstract
Under this partnership, NIJ is working with the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, to test eligible sexual assault kits (SAKs) provided by law enforcement agencies and crime laboratories across the country. In this process, NIJ and the FBI are developing best practices intended to improve the quality and efficiency of SAK processing. In the video, Juliet Rolando, Unit Chief for DNA casework of the FBI Laboratory describes the FBI lab's work in the partnership. Gerald LaPorte, the Director of NIJ's Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences reports on the success of the partnership based on comments to NIJ from those who are participating in the services provided by the partnership. Kim Murga, Director of Laboratory Services for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (Nevada), reports on the benefits of the lab's participation in the NIJ-FBI program. The Las Vegas lab, anticipates that the number of CODIS entries and subsequent codex hits will continue to increase as lab production increases. Matthew Gamette, Director of Forensic Services for the Idaho State Police, discusses the value of the FBI lab's reliable work in facilitating his jurisdiction's sexual assault investigations. Jay Henry, the Laboratory Director of Utah's Department of Public Safety, comments on how the NIJ-FBI partnership has increased the number of DNA match hits in its sexual assault investigations.

Date Published: April 1, 2018

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