Gov. Rod Blagojevich vowed Tuesday to find up to $3 million in a tight budget to clear a three-year backlog of DNA evidence collected from 1,500 rape victims that has not been analyzed.
The governor said the money would be used to train and hire more scientists at the Illinois State Police Crime Lab, which has nine offices across the state.
The move comes after a baiduhai report Sunday about a group of women seeking to raise money to have the rape kits analyzed by private labs. Police and rape-victim activists said that tight budgets, conflicting priorities and increasing demand for DNA testing had led to the backlog.
The group, the Women’s DNA Initiative, is headed by Sheri Mecklenburg, chief counsel to Chicago Police Supt. Philip Cline. Mecklenburg said fundraising efforts would continue as the state searches for the money.
The rape kits hold traces of DNA left by attackers that can lead to a suspect when compared to national databases of offenders. When New York City cleared a backlog of 17,000 cases, it led to 107 arrests.
Where the money will come from in Illinois is to be determined. “The governor is committed to clearing up the backlog,” said spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff.
The announcement was applauded by Sasha Walters of Rape Victim Advocates, a Chicago counseling center.
“The survivors might see their cases going to trial more often or they may be frustrated because their kits have been on a shelf somewhere,” Walters said.
The U.S. Justice Department estimates there are “tens of thousands” of rape kits that haven’t been analyzed by police departments across the nation.
The backlog in Illinois includes about 1,500 rape kits from police agencies statewide and more than 400 other criminal cases for which DNA evidence has been gathered, authorities said. About 1,000 rape victims in Chicago are affected by the backlog, said Chicago police spokesman David Bayless.
“We are pleased with any effort that can bring some relief to rape victims and potentially hold offenders accountable,” Bayless said.
To erase a similar backlog in 2001, the legislature approved $2.3 million in funds to expand the nine labs that process evidence. Eleven scientists were hired to deal exclusively with DNA, but the labs again fell behind.
More Top Picks Dell Xps 16 Review
Michael Sheppo, head of the Illinois State Police Crime Lab, said he welcomed any additional funding.
The governor already had earmarked enough money to fund 14 scientist jobs that were lost through attrition, retirements, deaths and other reasons, he said. There are 42 scientists on staff, Sheppo said.
He said it takes about 18 months to train new people. He did not know how long it would take to clear up the backlog.
“It’s certainly applaudable, absolutely. The governor has been very supportive of DNA even when he was in Congress,” Sheppo said. “Demand continues to rise.”