BJA FY 23 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. With this solicitation, BJA seeks to support the Department’s priorities of reducing violent crime and supporting law enforcement officers and prosecutors by: 1. Providing jurisdictions (including rural and tribal) with resources to address sexual assault kits (SAKs) in their custody that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing by Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-eligible DNA methodologies. 2. Improving investigations and prosecutions in connection with evidence and cases resulting from the SAK testing process as well as other violent crime cold cases. 3. Providing sites with resources to collect DNA samples from qualifying individuals who should have a sample in CODIS (based on the type and time of the offense in relation to applicable state law) but from whom a sample has never been collected or submitted to a laboratory for testing. In addition to addressing unsubmitted SAKs, the National Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) addresses partially tested SAKs, as defined below, and untested evidence associated with sexually motivated homicides. This program is not directed at untested kits that have been submitted to forensic labs for testing with CODIS-eligible DNA methodologies but are delayed for testing longer than 30 days; for example, as a result of a laboratory backlog. A separate program addresses laboratory backlogs and capacity. For more information on resources related to untested kits, see: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/forensic-science-programs.