Harris Proposes $1B Fund To Clear Rape Kits Backlog

Newsweek reports:

There are currently hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits in police evidence storage facilities around the country and 2020 Democratic hopeful Kamala Harris has a plan to end the nationwide backlog. On Thursday, Harris said she would spend $1 billion in order to help states clear rape kit backlogs. The money would also help law enforcement reform their approach to sexual crimes, including testing rape kits earlier and regularly updating victims with information about the status of the testing.

“The federal government can and should prioritize justice for survivors of sexual abuse,” Harris said in a statement. “As California’s Attorney General, I committed resources and attention to clearing a backlog of 1,300 untested rape kits at state-run labs, and we got it done within my first year in office. We need the same focus at the national level to pursue justice and help hold predators accountable.”