2019 FOIA Request
Why did we send the FOIA?
In 2019, in accordance with state law, the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) reported finding 387 untested rape kits across Massachusetts, with only 87 out of more than 400 law enforcement agencies reporting. To uncover the true extent of the backlog in Massachusetts, in that same year, Joyful Heart issued public records requests to police departments in the largest 15 cities in the state and the State Police Crime Laboratory as part of The Accountability Project.
What did we discover?
Despite our requests to include data from the past 30 years, Cambridge PD included data only from 2018 and 2019. Cambridge PD stated that they store all the unreported kits indefinitely in case the victim decides to proceed with a report at a later date. They did not report any lost or destroyed kits from 2018 and 2019. Due to the limited window of information, the true extent of the backlog in Cambridge is unknown.
More Accountability Targets in Massachusetts
Boston, MABrockton, MAFall River, MAHaverhill, MALawrence, MALowell, MALynn, MAMalden, MANew Bedford, MANewton, MAQuincy, MASomerville, MASpringfield, MAState Police Crime Lab, MAWaltham, MAWorcester, MA
Why Accountability?
Right now, we do not know the full extent of the national rape kit backlog because few states require law enforcement agencies to count, track, or test rape kits. The Accountability Project aims to bring greater transparency and accountability to rape kit testing practices across the country.