More than 3,600 rape kits have now been processed yielding nearly 850 hits in the federal DNA database.
The details are part of the newly released quarterly statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Attorney General’s Office.
“We are right on schedule. This is really great news that we've seen this many kits tested so far,” said Whitney Ray, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s spokesman.
Coreylyn Crawford and Adair Newman of the state attorney’s office in Jacksonville are part of a five-person team tackling the herculean task of submitting nearly 1,500 local rape kits to be tested.
“So far we've gotten 273 kits that have had kits in the national database that number is going to grow, however, because we haven't gotten all of our data back,” said Crawford.
We showed you back in 2016 how Jacksonville was being awarded more than $600,000 to test the untested rape kits.
Crawford said making the calls to victims, some of whom have waited years for answers, is rewarding.
“What we've seen is that this answer and this call is bringing closure for people whatever form that comes in for them,” said Crawford.
As of February of this year all local rape kits from the 1980s to 2014 are been submitted for processing. Crawford said the new data is now giving officers a brand new lead.
The local grant money runs until September 2018. Newman said that because of the volume they may not make that deadline but it’s likely they’ll get an extension.
Cox Media Group
