151 Untested Sex Assault Kits in Maui County

Attorney General Doug Chin announced today that the Maui, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi county police departments successfully inventoried their untested sexual assault evidence collection kits and that the state of Hawaiʻi had received a $2 million grant to assist with testing these kits.

Act 207 (H.B. 1907), passed this year by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Ige, requires all law enforcement agencies and departments charged with the maintenance, storage, and preservation of sexual assault evidence collection kits to conduct an inventory of all such kits being stored by the agency or department.

As part of the state’s effort to determine how sexual assault kits are used, tracked, and tested by the police, the reports shed light on the level of testing conducted. A working group convened by the Department of the Attorney General in accordance with Act 207 is using this information to better understand the issues that resulted in some kits being untested, and to ensure that all kits that should be tested are tested.

The Honolulu Police Department, which has the largest inventory to conduct of all four counties, is expected to complete its inventory soon.  The Department of the Attorney General was awarded a competitive grant this week which should assist with those efforts.

The $2 million National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant was awarded to the Department of the Attorney General by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Attorney General Chin said, “This $2 million grant from the United States Department of Justice will provide real support to the efforts already underway by police, prosecutors, and victim-assistance groups. It will provide the State with resources to assist the police departments with testing sexual assault kits, assist with victim notification and services, and continue the multidisciplinary community response team that is currently engaged in the comprehensive reform of managing, tracking, and testing sexual assault evidence collection kits.”

The Maui Police Department began using sexual assault evidence collection kits in 1999. The Kauaʻi and Hawaii Police Departments began using them in 2001. As a result, the three police reports released today include an inventory of untested kits beginning in 2001 for Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi and beginning in 1999 for Maui. These inventories extend through the period ending June 30, 2016.

The attorney general’s office states that the police departments’ efforts to provide greater transparency are reflected in the fact that the reports include information beyond what is requested in Act 207. Act 207 required an inventory of: (1) the number of untested sexual assault evidence collection kits in the possession of the agency or department; and (2) the date the sexual assault evidence collection kit was collected.

All three reports being provided today include the total number of sexual assault kits, total number of sexual assault kits tested, total number of untested kits, the date the kits were submitted into evidence, the date the kits were submitted for testing, and the date testing of the kits was completed. For the purpose of Act 207, the column titled “date kit submitted into evidence” is the date the kit was collected. The Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Police Department reports also include the date the case was reported.

A summary is as follows:

Maui Police Department
Total No. of Kits = 166
Total No. of Kits Tested =15
Total No. of Untested Kits = 151
*Note: 2 kits out for testing have not been returned as “tested” as of June 30, 2016. These two kits are currently counted as “untested,” and are classified as “out to lab.”  Full results are posted in the slideshow above.

Kauaʻi Police Department
Total No. of Kits = 225
Total No. of Kits Tested = 74
Total No. of Untested Kits = 151

Hawaiʻi Police Department
Total No. of Kits = 369
Total No. of Kits Tested = 60
Total No. of Untested Kits = 309

The Department of the Attorney General will submit a final report to the Legislature on this matter in December, as required by Act 207. That report will have information from all four county police departments and it will include additional context and analysis.

Maui sex assault kit inventory. Maui Now graphic.

SAK Maui Police report.

SAK Maui Police report.

SAK Maui Police report.

SAK Maui Police report.

SAK Maui Police report.