‘A win for everybody’ | TBI making improvements on sexual assault testing kit backlog

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials announced the wait time for DNA results on sexual assault kits is now just below six months. This is a dramatic decrease from the near-long wait last year.

In August 2022, the average wait time for DNA results was 45.4 weeks, just over 11 months. The Tennessee crime lab is now returning results to local law enforcement in 22.7 weeks on average, just under six months.

Previous Coverage: TBI rape kit processing time down by 38.6% since 2022, senator says

This improvement comes after significant pressure from Tennessee lawmakers. The general assembly approved adding more forensic lab positions to help expedite the backup.

Since then, the lab has hired 50 new crime lab scientists across its three Tennessee locations. Senator Brent Taylor said they had to offer competitive salaries to retain workers.

“We would get them trained and by the time we get them trained and online, they would leave for another state,” he said.

Previous Coverage: Why rape kits can take months to process in Tennessee

Catherine Oaks, Director of Victim Services at McNabb Center, said that DNA test delays result in an even slower judicial process.

“You know, that’s a key piece of evidence, waiting on DNA kits results,” she said. “Anytime that it can be accomplished quicker, I think it is going to be a win for everybody.”

Oaks says that faster return times can help survivors in recovering.

“Having this information come back is something that, you know, our therapists can work with and our advocates can work with our clients through that healing process. Because it does bring a peace of mind knowing if evidence was found, or if it wasn’t found,” Oaks said.

Taylor said that he thinks the testing is taking too long, but he is hopeful that as others get hired, the times will continue to improve.

If you or someone you know is struggling, The Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee (SACET) is a resource for victims of a recent sexual assault and victims of an assault or sexual abuse that happened months or years ago. The Center’s crisis hotline is answered 24 hours a day: (865) 522-7273.

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