Resources for Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers are often the first people a survivor has contact with in the aftermath of a sexual assault. The following resources include information about the backlog and trauma-informed, survivor-centered investigations.
Ending the rape kit backlog will take a coordinated effort and deep commitment at all levels of our government and in communities across the United States. That work starts with knowing about it—educating yourself and others—and then committing to reform efforts. Below is a selection of resources for those in positions to affect change in their jurisdiction, through legislation, revised policies and procedures, and executive actions.
Ending the rape kit backlog will take a coordinated effort and deep commitment at all levels of our government and in communities across the United States. That work starts with knowing about it—educating yourself and others—and then committing to reform efforts. Below is a selection of resources for those in positions to affect change in their jurisdiction, through legislation, revised policies and procedures, and executive actions.
Ending the backlog of untested rape kits in the United States will take a deep commitment at all levels of government. Every state must have clear laws and policies mandating deadlines for testing and tracking rape kits. Strong policies for handling rape kits ensure that the criminal justice system holds offenders accountable and builds opportunities for justice and healing for survivors. This handbook provides guidance to state lawmakers drafting rape kit reform legislation, and covers all the provisions that should be included in a comprehensive rape kit reform law.
Federal reports and resources present a standard for investigation, handling, and prosecution of sexual assault cases as well as in-depth information about rape kit testing processes and procedures.
Federal reports and resources present a standard for investigation, handling, and prosecution of sexual assault cases as well as in-depth information about rape kit testing processes and procedures.
Detroit’s 2011 study inventoried all the unsubmitted rape kits in police property (current to November 1, 2009), investigated why the number of unsubmitted rape kits was very high, and developed and evaluated a plan to test those kits. As of April 2020, Detroit had tested 11,137 kits out of the 11,341 discovered in 2009. This study poses an example of how jurisdictions with large numbers of untested kits can end the backlog.
This document presents the reasons why the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) cautions against submitting rape kits to forensic laboratories when the person from whom the kit was collected has chosen not to report the sexual assault to law enforcement, and has not otherwise consented to its submission. (These are known as “non-investigative kits” or “anonymous kits.”)
This guide provides an overview of the focus areas of The National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), and leads agencies through the process of rape kit reform using SAKI’s principles and philosophy.
The process map demonstrates the steps a rape kit goes through, from when a law enforcement agency first submits the kit to a lab for testing.
Across the country, many sex crimes units are understaffed and under-resourced. These focused resources are helping law enforcement get serial criminals off of the streets, easing the burden on personnel, facilitating community engagement and relationship building, and making communities safer.
Across the country, many sex crimes units are understaffed and under-resourced. These focused resources are helping law enforcement get serial criminals off of the streets, easing the burden on personnel, facilitating community engagement and relationship building, and making communities safer.
SAKI funds can be used to hire new detectives and investigators to work on reopened cases that arise from the testing of previously backlogged kits. SAKI grants also allow agencies to invest in in much-needed training, technical support, and the development of trauma-informed policies and practices that help law enforcement professionals better engage with survivors of sexual assault.
The Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence—Inventory, Tracking, and Reporting (SAFE-ITR) Program helps agencies to establish tracking systems and to inventory untested rape kits.
As states and local jurisdictions take steps toward eliminating their rape kit backlogs, they are faced with the question of how to re-engage survivors whose cases are often years—sometimes decades—old in a manner that is not retraumatizing, can enhance the probability that a survivor will engage with the criminal justice system, and will increase the likelihood that a survivor will access supportive services.
As states and local jurisdictions take steps toward eliminating their rape kit backlogs, they are faced with the question of how to re-engage survivors whose cases are often years—sometimes decades—old in a manner that is not retraumatizing, can enhance the probability that a survivor will engage with the criminal justice system, and will increase the likelihood that a survivor will access supportive services.
On May 17, 2016, Ilse Knecht, Joyful Heart's Director of Policy & Advocacy, and Dr. Courtney Ahrens conducted a 40-minute webinar presentation in which they described in detail the methodology of and findings from our recently published report, and conveyed how best to translate this important research into practice.
This report offers guidance on how to notify and re-engage survivors whose kits have been part of the rape kit backlog. Given the lack of scholarly research examining and suggesting best practices for survivor notification, Joyful Heart partnered with researcher Dr. Courtney Ahrens of California State University at Long Beach to bring together the voices of over 90 survivors, as well as criminal justice, medical, academic, clinical and advocacy professionals, to establish a set of recommendations.
Drawing lessons from Joyful Heart’s study on survivor notification, this webinar gives guidelines for when and how to notify victims, who should notify them, and what information should be shared with them.
NIJ prepared this brochure to illustrate lessons learned from federally funded studies that investigated the untested rape kit issues in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office in Michigan and in the Houston Police Department.
The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) and RTI International’s concise guide walks through the victim notification process by asking 12 key questions and providing recommendations.
Trauma has a significant effect on survivors' reflexes during an assault, reactions and behavior after an assault, and their ability to recall details. Understanding the neurobiology of trauma and the impact of trauma on sexual assault survivors vastly improves cold case investigations and victim notification.
Trauma has a significant effect on survivors' reflexes during an assault, reactions and behavior after an assault, and their ability to recall details. Understanding the neurobiology of trauma and the impact of trauma on sexual assault survivors vastly improves cold case investigations and victim notification.
This paper explores how prosecutors’ offices can implement best policies and practices for prosecuting sexual violence.
The Neurobiology of Sexual Assault—Implications for Law Enforcement, Prosecution, and Victim Advocacy is a webinar with Dr. Rebecca Campbell, Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University, that specifically focuses on providing information for first responders to sexual assault.
This webinar explains how the neurobiology of sexual assault trauma affects victims' behavior during and after an assault, and how trauma affects memory formation and recall during and immediately after an assault. The webinar also explains how this information on the neurobiology of trauma can inform cold case investigations and victim notification.
Resources from the National Judicial Education Project include a bulletin entitled "Judges Tell: What I Wish I Had Known Before I Presided in an Adult Victim Sexual Assault Case," and an online course entitled "Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse Web Course: Adjudicating This Hidden Dimension of Domestic Violence Cases."
This one-pager by the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, on the neurobiology of sexual assault, includes key terms and citations from major research resources.
This online curriculum provides participants with knowledge about the basic elements of neurobiology and the parts of the brain affected by traumatic experiences, including sexual assault. The course covers the relationship between assault and memory, and the reflexes survivors experience during an assault.
The following resources are available to medical professionals to learn more about how to support victims in the aftermath of an assault.
The following resources are available to medical professionals to learn more about how to support victims in the aftermath of an assault.
The association offers in-person and remote courses, as well as providing updates on the field and guidelines for sexual assault evidence collection on their website. Forensic nurses can become members to benefit from IAFN’s resources.
This second edition of A National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations provides detailed guidelines for criminal justice professionals and health care practitioners for responding to the immediate needs of sexual assault victims.
As communities across the country have engaged in rape kit reform efforts, guidance from the federal government, law enforcement professional associations, and state and local stakeholders are more readily available. The following resources provide law enforcement professionals with tools to help them navigate these investigations.
As communities across the country have engaged in rape kit reform efforts, guidance from the federal government, law enforcement professional associations, and state and local stakeholders are more readily available. The following resources provide law enforcement professionals with tools to help them navigate these investigations.
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) recommends several steps law enforcement agencies can take in order to increase accountability and transparency around rape kit handling and processing.
The State of Michigan Sexual Assault Model Policy Working Group drafted a resource for law enforcement agencies that provides best practices for an effective response to, and investigation of, the sexual assault of adults and young adults.
This article, by Kimberly A. Lonsway and Joanne Archambault, explains that law enforcement leaders have the opportunity to make a significant, positive impact in their communities by working with community partners to launch a Start by Believing campaign, and taking other steps to change the way both professionals and the public view sexual assault.
This comprehensive guidebook includes best practices that all law enforcement agencies can adopt in order to provide sexual assault survivors with the help they need and the respect they deserve, while improving investigations and bringing more perpetrators to justice.
The model policy aims to provide law enforcement agents with guidelines for responding to sexual assault reports. The document offers definitions, policies, and procedures for handling sexual assault cases.
As previously untested kits are analyzed and entered into federal and state DNA databases across the country, new leads in cold sexual assault cases are being generated for law enforcement to follow up on and investigate. The following are guides for law enforcement agencies working to investigate and prosecute cold sexual assault cases.
As previously untested kits are analyzed and entered into federal and state DNA databases across the country, new leads in cold sexual assault cases are being generated for law enforcement to follow up on and investigate. The following are guides for law enforcement agencies working to investigate and prosecute cold sexual assault cases.
Establishing a multidisciplinary team of law enforcement professionals, crime lab staff, victim advocates, and prosecutors paves the way for effective cold case management.
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) convened a working group to create a guide for law enforcement agencies working to investigate and prosecute cold sexual assault cases.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police provides a quick look at the top five ways cold cases can be solved.
Our news archive provides information about the rape kit backlog, including news from across the country, investigative reports, op-eds, legislation and policy reports, government publications, and more.
Our news archive provides information about the rape kit backlog, including news from across the country, investigative reports, op-eds, legislation and policy reports, government publications, and more.