Cherae Hunt |Staff Writer
Thousands of untested rape kits dating back to 1933 were found on May 11, 2015, in the Atlanta police department, according to a report by Jeff Chirico on CBS 46 in Atlanta.
Police are starting to test the kits but the process could take over a year to complete, according to the police department.
“Why do we have rape kits if they aren’t going to test them? I feel like if I was in that same situation as these women, my kit wouldn’t be taken seriously,” stated student Priscilla Diaz.
A serial rapist is classified as a person that has raped two or more people. So far, there have been 288 serial rapists found through testing the rape kits.
State Representative Scott Holcomb has introduced House Bill 560, which would require police to determine the size of their backlog and follow new protocols.
Over 50 arrests have occurred from testing these kits, according to the Atlanta police department.
“A lot of people should be brought to justice that should’ve been a long time ago,” said CSUSB staff member Donna Norris.
Atlanta isn’t the only state dealing with thousands of untested rape kits.
There has also been a number of untested rape kits found in states from North Carolina to Southern California.
In Los Angeles, there are over 17,500 untested rape kits found in evidence rooms, according to a report by Chirico.
“The testing is underway for untested rape kits. It is just a long process,” said Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department Captain Cecil Brisbon.
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