Paste BN NETWORK’s Rape Kit Investigation Sparks Change Nationwide

At least 20 states are considering reforms to the way kits are handled by law enforcement agencies following the Paste BN NETWORK’s rape kit investigation, proving once again the power behind the NETWORK’s investigative team.

As many as 50 different bills have been proposed in recent months, ranging from new funding for testing the rape kits to audits of long-stored evidence and reducing the discretion police departments have in deciding whether to submit evidence for testing. Officials in some states have also taken direct action to address untested sexual assault kits without new state legislation. Statewide inventories of untested sexual assault kits were recently completed at the behest of Kentucky’s state auditor and Michigan’s attorney general. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order acknowledging the state’s law enforcement agencies had inconsistent policies for tracking and processing rape kits, and establishing a task force to develop consistent testing and tracking protocols.

The proposed bills are not the only victory in the wake of the NETWORK’s investigation. Vice President Joe Biden and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced in September they would devote a combined $79 million to combat the accumulation of untested sexual assault kits held by police agencies across the country. Congress has also promised another $45 million in similar grants and some states have increased funding for rape evidence testing.

The Paste BN NETWORK is proud to be at the forefront of change when it comes to the communities we serve.