ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown announced a new system of accountability for investigating sexual assaults in the state. The new system, announced Thursday, is designed to empower survivors of sexual assault with unprecedented access, so survivors will not be left in the dark again, leaders say.
The new system, called Track-Kit, establishes a barcode system for all rape kits in the state of Maryland. According to AG Brown, sexual assault victims will be given a barcode number a password, which will allow survivors and law enforcement to track their evidence as it moves through the system.
Barcodes will also be added to all existing rape kits.
Similar systems are already in place in 15 states across the country.
"This new system is a big deal," Gov. Moore said Thursday.
The launch of the new system comes after Maryland has struggled with a backlog of rape kits for decades. In some cases, the kits were destroyed or lost. A 2020 report found some police departments across Maryland were discarding evidence in rape cases.
The Frederick City Police Department was among the worst alleged offenders, reporting that it had thrown out 84 sexual assault evidence kits. Maryland leaders say this new system will keep that from happening in the future.
Moore and Brown were joined Thursday at a press conference by a sexual assault survivor whose evidence was lost forever. Advocates and other lawmakers were also on hand to celebrating what they called a victory for survivors.
Moore said the most important part of the tracking system, which is already up and running, is accountability.
"For survivors, this tracking system means they can hold law enforcement accountable," Moore said.
The governor said that the greater level of accountability applies to attackers and predators, too. When people feel there is accountability, there is a better chance of justice, Moore said.
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