The methods law enforcement uses to investigate sexual-assault crimes are outdated, leading to poor outcomes for victims and low conviction rates. So Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill told the Salt Lake City Council before it voted unanimously to make processing of forensic evidence mandatory in rape cases, reports the Salt Lake Tribune. Analyzing DNA from all such Code R or rape kits represents a dramatic change for Salt Lake City, and the phenomenon is sweeping the nation.
Gill said new protocols beyond rape kit analyses are necessary to bring better conviction rates. Between 2003 and 2011, only 9 percent of reported rapes in Salt Lake County resulted in criminal charges, said Brigham Young University researcher Julie Valentine. The district attorney said investigations should focus on serving the victim, rather than simply determining whether to go forward with a prosecution. He suggested a multi-discipline team approach that would bring together medical personnel, law enforcement, psychologists, social workers and prosecutors on a case-to-case basis.