September 10, 2015
Las Vegas, NV – Today, Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul
Laxalt announced that his office will pledge $3.68 million in funding to eliminate
Nevada’s backlog of untested sexual assault evidence kits, or “rape kits.” The
funding is a result of a statewide Sexual Assault Kit Working Group led by the
Nevada Attorney General’s Office to create policies and procedures associated
with the backlog. These procedures would assist in identifying suspects and
prosecuting cases through investigation and DNA evidence. Funding will be
allocated towards finding ways to address the backlog, as well as other
investigative and prosecutorial tasks. Together with the $2 million grant from
the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, this funding will virtually
eliminate Nevada’s rape kit backlog.
A sexual assault kit is used to collect physical evidence during an invasive
and lengthy examination conducted at a hospital or rape crisis center following
a sexual assault. Generally, these kits contain a checklist, materials and
instructions, as well as a means to package any specimens collected during the
examination.
“As of this month, more than 7,500 rape kits in Nevada remain untested,
preventing law enforcement from apprehending criminals and deterring future
serial crimes,” said Laxalt. “These funds should not only speak to survivors,
assuring them that this state is invested in securing their deserved justice,
but to law enforcement agents, who can now begin to solve related crimes. Las
Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Lombardo and I were committed from our new
tenures to addressing this backlog, and thanks to the dedication of our offices,
we are now able to take this next step in propelling Nevada’s law enforcement
communities to take a victim-centered approach to justice.”
The Sexual Assault Kit Working Group is comprised of representatives from the
Clark County District Attorney’s Office, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
Department, the Henderson Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s
Office, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rape Crisis Center of Southern
Nevada, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the Center for Forensic Nursing
Excellence, Assemblywoman Benitez-Thompson and Assemblyman Derek Armstrong.
The secured funds were made available through a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative
grant program and a Bureau of Consumer Protection settlement. The Nevada
Attorney General’s Office will present the settlement funds to the Interim
Finance Committee to ensure the money is approved to address the backlog.
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