MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin crime labs’ efforts to review tests of unanalyzed rape kits delayed DNA testing in more than 300 other active cases over the last three years, according to estimates released Wednesday that illustrate the effect the project has had on analysts’ workload.
The state Department of Justice began testing thousands of unanalyzed sexual assault evidence kits in 2016. Private labs have performed most of the work for the agency but a team of state crime lab analysts still reviews the results.
The DOJ’s report on 2018 crime lab performance noted the review team is made up of more than half of the state labs’ DNA analysts. The team spent more than 4,850 hours on the sexual assault kit project. Assuming an average case takes 14 hours to complete, nearly 350 cases were delayed as a result of the time the team spent on the sexual assault test reviews, the report said.
Kaul’s spokeswoman, Gillian Drummond, said the data stems from the last year of former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel’s term.
“This is all information from the previous administration,” she said. “That’s important context.”