2021 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

The San José Police Department’s Sexual Assaults Investigations Unit in San José, California is seeking a grant to address the Department’s issue of 655 untested Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs) from 1986-2018, improve methods of tracking SAKs from testing to adjudication, and prevent the issue from reoccurring. The objective is that by the end of the grant period, gaps that exist in the data collecting, tracking, and sustainable management of SAKs will be closed. Funding in the amount of $1,425,000 is requested to fund employee overtime, testing of SAKs, and travel/training for the Annual Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Workshop to fulfill the proposed activities listed below and testing of 655 SAKs. The program description is for the proposed 3-year grant period of October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2024. 

The City of San José has a population of 1,021,795 as of 2019, of which the Department received an average of 1,545 cases that involved some type of sexual assault in the past 5-years (2016-2020). From 2016-2020, an average of 627 of the sexual assault cases were categorized as Rape cases per year and an average of 637 cases were categorized as Child Molestation cases per year. As a result of the continued rise of Sexual Assault crimes and cases, the Department has been unable to address the backlog of the 655 untested SAKs from 1986-2018. The intended population group to be serviced by this grant are victims of Sexual Assault who completed a SAK. 

Proposed Activities 

Data Collection and Tracking - Track, collect, and submit for testing of previously untested SAKs 
Identification of Gaps – Brainstorm gaps regarding limited information sharing between participating agencies 
Protocols and Policies - Produce protocols and policies to improve multidisciplinary working group collaboration between the Department, the Santa Clara County’s District Attorney’s Office, the contracted Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory, and Victim Service Providers 
Resources – Adopt electronic tracking systems designed specifically for SAK cases provided by the SAKI TTA provider for data collecting and tracking 
Data Input - Input into necessary law enforcement systems (i.e. Records Management System, ViCap, CODIS, etc.) 
SAK Testing 

Products and Deliverables 

Establish SAKI team members to fulfill project objectives 
Coordinate multidisciplinary working group and MOUs 
Designate a “Site Coordinator” 
Program Performance Evaluations