LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The backlog of sexual assault test kits has been an ongoing issue at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory over the past few years.
According to a report by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, there were 2,217 untested kits in Arkansas in 2016.
Arkansas passed Act 839 in 2019 to help drive down these numbers. This was a big step in increasing transparency for victims and preventing the backlog from happening again.
When the state passed Act 839, the lab reported it was making progress but still had 461 untested kits.
The latest numbers released by the crime lab in 2024 show significant improvement: 89 unassigned kits and 60 in progress.
The crime lab shared that these numbers are the lowest in years. The numbers we’ve compiled over the past few years confirm this, too.
“We continue to hear you, we continue to value you, and we continue our commitment to providing forensic science services in a timely manner,” said Theodore Brown, Arkansas State Crime Lab director and chief examiner.
Brown is not new to the crime lab; he previously worked as the lab’s chief medical examiner. He only assumed the role of crime lab director less than a year ago.
In his new role, not only was he tasked with clearing the backlog but also addressing the crime lab’s years-long issue of a drawn-out turnaround time for processing sexual assault test kits.
When we first started taking a closer look at this particular issue of turnaround time back in 2022, and under a previous crime lab director, the crime lab shared with us that the processing time for sexual assault kits was around eight months.
That estimated time put them out of compliance with the state.
"We are committed to a turnaround time of less than two months or 60 days,” Brown said during a 2023 interview.
The state mandates that once a test kit is administered to a victim and given to law enforcement, Act 839 requires law enforcement to submit a kit for processing within 15 days of receiving it.
From that point, the crime lab has 60 days to complete the lab testing.
Although the lab's turnaround time was noncompliant in 2022 and 2023, the crime lab shared that they are now operating within the state mandate in 2024.
“This year, and specifically, within the last four months of the year, our team is proud to report that our turnaround time for these kits is less than two months," Brown said.
But what contributed to the recent strides?
Brown said that with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' support, they've hired five additional analysts, which has helped improve the turnaround time.
Jennifer Beaty-West is the deputy director of scientific operations at the crime lab and oversees the processing of these kits.
She agreed that additional support from the governor and attorney general's offices has been critical.
“Getting DNA analysts trained and getting test kits outsourced to private laboratories really helped get us into a spot where the backlog is more manageable,” Beaty-West said.
This is the crime lab's most significant progress in years, but Beaty-West said the work continues.
"Our survivors are getting answers in a more timely manner," Beaty-West said. "At the same time, two months is still not acceptable for anyone waiting to hear what happened to them, what happened to a loved one, or what happened to a family member."
The crime lab said that they receive nearly 65 sexual assault test kits per month in addition to their current backlog.
With continued support and resources from the state, they hope to clear the backlog by 2025 and further reduce the turnaround time for processing kits.