The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made an important move in its ongoing efforts to tackle the significant backlog of rape kits waiting for testing. On Tuesday, the CBI unveiled a public dashboard to track its progress in reducing the backlog of sexual assault kits, an initiative that aims to bring more transparency and accountability to the process.
This step comes after years of delays, many of which were worsened by an investigation into a former CBI forensic scientist who was accused of mishandling DNA evidence.
In a statement, CBI Director Schaefer acknowledged that the delay in processing DNA cases has been far too long. He emphasized that the CBI is committed to addressing this issue and speeding up the turnaround time for testing.
“We acknowledge it is taking us too long to complete DNA cases. We are committed to an aggressive plan to bring this turnaround time down to our goal of 90 days as quickly as possible,” Schaefer said. The goal of processing rape kits in a timely manner is especially important because of the profound impact that delays have on sexual assault survivors. For these individuals, the lack of timely DNA processing can add even more trauma and delay justice.
The dashboard, which officially went live on Tuesday, will allow the public to see monthly updates on how the CBI is addressing the backlog. The current turnaround time for testing rape kits has reached over 500 days, which is far beyond what the CBI considers acceptable.
According to Schaefer, the creation of the public dashboard is intended to provide greater transparency as the CBI works to fix the problem. It also helps ensure that the agency remains accountable to the public as they continue to address what Schaefer referred to as “extraordinary circumstances” that have made the backlog so severe.
The backlog at the CBI crime lab has been growing for years, but it worsened significantly due to an investigation into one of the agency’s former forensic scientists. Yvonne “Missy” Woods, a former CBI forensic scientist, has been accused of mishandling DNA evidence, leading to the need to re-examine a large portion of her cases.
In 2024, almost half of the CBI lab’s workload was spent reviewing cases previously handled by Woods. Before Woods’ retirement in 2023, the backlog had already surpassed 200 days, which was more than double the CBI’s target processing time. However, the investigation into Woods and the need to review her work only added to the backlog, further slowing down the entire process.
As of Tuesday, the number of sexual assault kits waiting for confirmatory testing stands at approximately 1,400 cases, according to officials. This backlog of cases represents not only a delay in justice for the survivors of these assaults but also a growing challenge for the CBI as they try to get a handle on the situation.
To address the growing number of untested rape kits, the CBI is implementing a multi-pronged approach. One key part of this strategy is outsourcing 1,000 of these cases to private, accredited laboratories. The CBI spokesperson explained that this effort is designed not only to reduce the backlog but also to prevent the total number of new cases from continuing to grow.
Rob Low, a CBI spokesman, spoke with Denver7 about the agency’s challenges and how it plans to address them. According to Low, it will take roughly one year to process the 1,000 outsourced cases. While this is a major step forward, Low noted that the CBI won’t be able to determine when it will be able to meet its goal of a 90-day turnaround time until the backlog is reduced by half.
He explained that once the backlog is cut in half, the CBI will have a clearer picture of how long it will take to meet their target turnaround time, possibly by the end of 2026 or 2027.
The launch of the public dashboard is part of a broader effort by the CBI to be more open about its challenges and ensure that the public can see how it is addressing these critical issues.
Schaefer explained that the CBI is strongly committed to transparency and accountability as it moves forward with its plan to reduce the backlog and improve its processes. The dashboard will include monthly updates that show the progress the agency is making in reducing the backlog of sexual assault kits. This allows the public to see how the agency is working towards its goal and to stay informed about the steps being taken.
The creation of this public dashboard is a positive move towards ensuring that the CBI is held accountable and that it operates with greater transparency. Sexual assault cases, and especially the testing of rape kits, are extremely sensitive matters, and the public has a right to know how long it takes for evidence to be processed. The survivors of sexual assault deserve justice, and every day that a rape kit goes untested is another day they have to wait for closure and justice.
While the road to fully addressing the backlog will be long and difficult, the launch of this dashboard signals a major step in the right direction. The CBI’s aggressive plan to outsource cases to private laboratories, combined with greater public transparency, gives hope that the backlog will eventually be reduced.
However, as Low pointed out, it will take time to reach the agency’s goal of processing rape kits within 90 days. Even with the aggressive measures in place, it is clear that the path to full resolution will take several more years.
The public dashboard not only provides updates but also shows the CBI’s commitment to improving its processes and ensuring that sexual assault survivors get the justice they deserve. Moving forward, the CBI will continue to focus on reducing the backlog while maintaining transparency and working towards meeting its goal of a 90-day turnaround time for testing rape kits. The hope is that this effort will eventually help rebuild public trust in the system and provide much-needed closure for the survivors of sexual assault.
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