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Ohio Forms Task Force After Hundreds of Agencies Fail to Report Sexual Assault Kits
Read the full articleState leaders and central Ohio officials join a task force to fix tracking gaps after more than 900 agencies failed to submit annual kit data.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Ohio attorney general investigating sexual assault kit data
Supporting evidence (1)
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson has created a 17-member working group to review and streamline sexual assault evidence kit reporting across the state, after more than 900 agencies failed to submit mandated annual kit data for 2025.
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Ohio law requires hospital and law enforcement agencies to report sexual assault kit data to the attorney general’s office, but a report found more than 900 agencies
Supporting evidence (7)
“The focus of this working group is to recommend improvements to the General Assembly for streamlining the reporting of this critical data,” Wilson announced.
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
Elaine Bryant, chief, Columbus Division of Police
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
Sheree Ford, clinical nurse manager for forensics, OhioHealth
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
Jenny Wells, prosecuting attorney, Licking County
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
John Swaney, sheriff, Madison County
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
The working group will hold its first meeting in the coming weeks and issue a report and recommendations by the end of the year.
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Under Ohio law, government agencies that receive, maintain, store or preserve sexual assault evidence kits must submit relevant data to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which is required to compile the information into an annual report.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/dewine-calls-lawmakers-rewrite-rape-223000191.html
Supporting evidence (6)
State records revealed that more than 900 Ohio law enforcement agencies and hospitals failed to report kit data for 2025.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab
“You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab,” DeWine said.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab
By statute, police do not have to report any information if they did not collect, store or retrieve any biological evidence in the course of a sexual assault investigation.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab
“It boggles your mind, especially when we went through this, when we went through the backlog and everybody put their hands up and said, 'oh this will never happen again,'” Antonio said.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab
Absolutely,” Antonio said, adding that the state needs clarity on how departments interpreted their duties.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab
Ucker-Lauderman noted that timely processing can connect serial offenses even if a survivor declines immediate prosecution: “Even if something doesn't move forward with their case, by their choice or by some other reason, their kit could affect other cases in the future, or in the past,” she said.
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You have two different types of backlogs: you have a backlog that's created at the local police department because they're not getting the rape kit out to a crime lab