GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Back in 2018, the attorney general's office found over 16,000 untested rape kits in local law enforcement offices across the state. Since then, they have cut that backlogged number in half.
The AG's office says 8,671 kits have already been tested out of 16,200.
The office received millions from the legislature to test older kids.
They say older kits have been sent to private labs for processing while newer kits are processed at the state crime lab.
The office says their average turnaround time is 15 months.
While victims await results, the Guilford County Family Justice Center is there to offer support.
"It can feel frustrating, and it can feel like a long time and your emergency is your number one emergency and we want to make sure people feel supported even if they have to wait for a while for that process," said Catherine Johnson with the Guilford County Family Justice Center.
The center says it can take over two years for a suspect to be identified in a case.
Johnson says the center helps victims with safety planning, legal services, and mental health.
"Those things we can do is putting supportive things in place like talking with an advocate or meeting with a counselor and getting some of those supportive services that can help someone heal along that emotional journey. We want to partner with the survivor in navigating that," said Johnson.
Lawmakers also provided funding for 12 more scientists to work in state labs.
The AG's office hopes to speed up production with more staff.
The office anticipates backlogged rape kit testing will be done by the end of the year, or by the start of 2024.