Effort to test sexual assault kits expands across Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Hundreds of untested sexual assault kits from across Oregon will be sent to a private lab for testing after money was left over from a grant that allowed three western Oregon counties to submit kits for testing.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Multnomah, Marion and Lane counties have sent more than 2,600 kits for testing by Sorenson Forensics LLC after receiving a nearly $2 million grant.

The grant allows the testing of up to 3,000 kits, so additional counties have received approval to submit untested kits that were collected before January 2015.

Multnomah County prosecutors say authorities in other counties have identified 210 untested kits to send to the lab and more kits are expected.

State police in 2015 counted a backlog of 5,600 kits that required processing.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com