Sex Assault Kit Backlog Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) documented that there are over 4,000 unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs) in Maricopa County across 19 different law enforcement agencies. With so many untested kits, the Office feared this backlog would undermine efforts to get victims to come forward and would also give serial rape offenders a “free pass” to commit more sex assaults. As a result of this backlog, the MCAO formed a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of local stakeholders to examine the issues contributing to the collection of unsubmitted SAKs and develop a victim-centered Sexual Assault Protocol for use across Maricopa County that includes best practices for investigations, medical personnel, victim notification and prosecution.