Kentucky on Wednesday became the first state to begin using rapid DNA testing for all sexual assault investigations, with the aim of significantly faster results helping close rape cases, and shrinking backlogs of rape kits.
“Today, I am especially proud to announce that Kentucky is leading the nation in addressing one of the most horrible, violent crimes in our country: the crime of rape,” Republican Gov. Matt Bevin said in a statement. “We have taken a bold step in order to reduce the incidence of this heinous crime. We have evaluated a powerful new technology, Rapid DNA, and determined that it can help us to identify an assailant in a matter of hours — allowing us to focus the investigations of sexual crimes more quickly than ever before.”
Police in the Blue Grass State will use ANDE’s rapid DNA identification system to process human samples and results in local crime labs within two hours. Normally, results take weeks or months to get back. The new system will allow police to confirm within hours whether a suspect is tied to a crime.
The state began using rapid DNA tests on a trial basis earlier this year as it went through sexual assault evidence kits, otherwise known as rape kits. The system was co-developed with the military when the Pentagon needed mobile DNA processing for missions in the Middle East and elsewhere, according to company spokeswoman Annette Mattern.
“The Commonwealth of Kentucky has evaluated the ANDE Rapid DNA Identification System and we are confident that it will improve our ability to reduce sexual violence in our state,” said Kentucky State Police Commissioner Richard Sanders. “The Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratories have done a rigorous evaluation of Rapid DNA as a way to accurately identify the rapists without infringing on the privacy of Kentuckians. And, our recent results have proved to us that this will improve safety all over our state.”
A rapist will commit 12 crimes from the first offense until he is arrested, according to a background document from state police. Providing suspects with DNA evidence that connects them to a crime scene “often” leads to a plea deal, allowing the incident to be handled quicker than if it had been litigated, police added.
Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary John Tilley said getting faster results can ensure those responsible are prosecuted and kept off the streets, and in turn, blocked from committing more crimes, including sexual assault.
Those providing DNA samples will be tested at the time of a hospital visit and have two samples taken — one for the conventional test and another for the rapid test.
The rapid DNA test uses 20 “junk DNA” fragments to create a profile for the person. The results can then be cross-referenced with a state or federal database.
