News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Beshear Announces Research Project for Rape Kit Backlog

Kentucky Office of the Attorney General via YouTube

Researchers at the University of Louisville will monitor Kentucky's quest to rid itself of a backlog of untested rape kits and offer recommendations on how to avoid such log-jams in the future.

Attorney General Andy Beshear unveiled the project Thursday at the Kentucky Capitol. A 2015 audit revealed Kentucky had more than 3,000 untested rape kits, collections of physical evidence from victims after a sexual assault. Police check that evidence against a national database of DNA profiles to look for suspects.

In 2016, the state legislature approved spending $4.5 million dollars to alleviate the backlog. The money came from a lawsuit settlement against Johnson & Johnson that the attorney general's office negotiated.

https://youtu.be/Uq7Y0e7FeDU","_id":"00000179-ebc4-d7ee-a97b-ebe5519f0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/Uq7Y0e7FeDU">https://youtu.be/Uq7Y0e7FeDU","_id":"00000179-ebc4-d7ee-a97b-ebe5519f0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/Uq7Y0e7FeDU

Original Story:

Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear is teaming up with the University of Louisville for a research project involving the state's rape kit backlog.

Beshear is scheduled to announce the project on Thursday along with Bradley Campbell, an assistant professor at UofL's Department of Criminal Justice.

A 2015 audit revealed Kentucky had more than 3,000 untested rape kits, collections of physical evidence from victims after a sexual assault. Police check that evidence against a national database of DNA profiles to look for suspects.

In 2016, the state legislature approved spending $4.5 million to alleviate the backlog. The money came from a lawsuit settlement against Johnson & Johnson that the attorney general's office negotiated.

This story has been updated.

Matt Markgraf joined the WKMS team as a student in January 2007. He's served in a variety of roles over the years: as News Director March 2016-September 2019 and previously as the New Media & Promotions Coordinator beginning in 2011. Prior to that, he was a graduate and undergraduate assistant. He is currently the host of the international music show Imported on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
Related Content