NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Survivors of sexual assault are forced to wait long periods for key DNA evidence about their attackers.
We are committed to tracking wait times for rape kit processing at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. They are so important to getting justice.
This week two years ago, Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher was allegedly kidnapped and killed by a man who was later found guilty of raping a woman in 2021. In recognition of this somber anniversary, we did some digging and found Tennessee is finally shortening process times.
At the TBI lab, the wait time peaked at 45 weeks in August of 2022. As of this July, the turnaround time is down to less than 10 weeks, according to a report the TBI is now required to publish quarterly.
This is a huge step in the right direction. When the turnaround time for a kit is so long, that can discourage survivors of sexual assault from electing to do an examination.
"They swab anywhere there may be DNA," said Lorraine McGuire. "They take photos, they measure any contusions or bruises, rips or tears. Those are photographed, and those are highly personal photos that are taken. It is a really difficult thing to do after you've just been assaulted and lost your autonomy."
Because of funding made available by the state, 47 employees have been hired in the last two years, and most have completed the training to test rape kits. By 2025, the TBI wants to have 50 people trained.
The state is also outsourcing dozens of kits to a lab in Florida. Tennessee pays more than $2,100 for a kit to be tested by that lab.
As for sexual assault investigated by Metro Nashville Police, those sexual assault kits are processed at the department's own lab. If it's not a priority request, the average processing time is 42 weeks. Some kits can be outsourced for faster results and returned in less than 16 weeks. Police tell us for urgent requests, the turnaround time is more like a few days. The department's forensic biology unit is fully staffed, but the majority of the staff is still in training.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
