CHICAGO July 29, 2015
To the President and Members of the City Council:
Your Committee on Finance having had under consideration
An order requiring to the Chicago Police Department to appear before the Committee on Finance to report on the number of rape kits from Chicago that are currently untested.
Direct Introduction
Having had the same under advisement, begs leave to report and recommend that your Honorable Body pass the proposed Order Transmitted Herewith
ORDER
WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Justice, more than 400,000 backlogged rape kits await forensic testing in law enforcement storage rooms and crime labs across the country; and
WHEREAS, Local and state officials across the country are reviewing policies and procedures for processing rape kits after a recent USA TODAY investigation identified at least 70,000 untested sexual-assault kits across more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide; and
WHEREAS, According to law enforcement statistics, more than 90% of all rapes in the United States are committed by repeat offenders; and
WHEREAS, Based on statistical analysis, studies show that if all rape kits were tested, law enforcement agencies throughout the country could solve 50% of rapes that have occurred; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government recently launched a $41 million initiative to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors' offices reduce our nation's backlog; and
WHEREAS, During a recent trip to Philadelphia, Vice President Joe Biden stated that this funding will put law enforcement and health professionals "in better position to handle rape cases," adding that he has witnessed hundreds of untested rape kits sitting on shelves; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act, 725 ILCS 202/1 et seq., Illinois State law mandates the submission and testing of all sexual assault evidence collected by all law enforcement agencies throughout the state, requiring law enforcement agencies to submit sexual assault evidence kits to the Illinois State Police (ISP) within 10 days of receiving the kits and ISP to analyze the kits within 6 months. The law also requires all law enforcement agencies to provide ISP with an inventory of the untested kits in their possession; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago Police Department has inventoried more than 7,784 rape kits since 2008; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, the Chicago Police Department submitted 957 rape kits to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic testing and has received results for 271 kits; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago Police Department has been unable to provide historical data confirming the number of rape kits currently awaiting test results; and
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago has a responsibility to the victims of rape to ensure that forensic evidence is collected and processed in a timely manner; NOW THEREFORE
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BE IT ORDERED, That the City of Chicago does hereby direct the Chicago Police Department to ensure that forensic evidence collected from the victims of rape is analyzed as expeditiously as possible; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, That the City Council of the City of Chicago does hereby direct the Chicago Police Department, to appear before the Committee on Finance to discuss the process by which rape kits are inventoried and submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Laboratory for testing and the current status of all rape kits so submitted.
Edward M. Burke, Alderman, 14th Ward
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Carrie M. Austin, Alderman, 34 1 Ward
