Colorado
Backlog Snapshot
Untested Kits:
3,542*
Testing:
Completed
Does Colorado law require...
An Audit of Untested Rape Kits?
Yes – One-Time
Tracking of Rape Kits?
No
Testing of all backlogged rape kits?
Yes
Testing of all rape kits in the future?
Yes
Victims to be notified of the status of their cases?
No
Funding for testing kits?
Yes
*According to a 2015 audit, as cited by the Denver Post
In 2013, Colorado enacted a law that required all law enforcement agencies to report the number of untested rape kits in their possession to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In 2015, CBI reported 3,542 untested rape kits across Colorado. Colorado law does not require law enforcement agencies to track rape kits.
The 2013 law also required the testing of all previously untested kits within 120 days of enactment and that law enforcement send new kits for testing within 21 days. In addition, Colorado legislators appropriated $6,351,002 in new funding to clear the state’s backlog of untested kits.
In 2016, the state lab announced it had processed 3,542 rape kits (the other 2,741 kits were discovered to have been previously tested or were anonymous kits*), resulting in 1,556 DNA profiles generated and 691 matches to profiles of convicted felons or samples from other cases.
Additional Information
*According to the Colorado state crime lab.
Local News
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July 16, 2016
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January 24, 2016
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January 22, 2016
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December 24, 2015
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December 24, 2015
Featured National News
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September 14, 2016
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September 13, 2016
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September 12, 2016
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September 10, 2016
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September 9, 2016
