Audit Finds Gaps in Louisiana Rape Kit Tracking
A Legislative Auditor report says hundreds of sexual assault kits were never submitted by law enforcement as state law requires.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Sex Crimes
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The Louisiana Legislative Auditor released a report Monday finding that as of February 2026, law enforcement had not submitted 337 of 1,879 sexual assault kits collected from July 2024 through December 2025. The review examined the state's kit tracking system, which Louisiana created in 2023.
Why it matters
The findings point to weaknesses in how evidence from sexual assault cases moves through the system, which can affect whether victims receive answers and whether cases are investigated. State law lacks enforceable pickup timeframes, penalties and oversight, which the report identifies as gaps.
The Legislative Auditor's review found 337 of 1,879 kits collected from July 2024 through December 2025 had not been submitted as required by law. It remains unclear how many of the outstanding kits will be tested or when they will reach crime labs.
The players
Louisiana Legislative Auditor
The state office that conducts independent audits of Louisiana government agencies and programs and released this report on the kit tracking system.
Louisiana State Police Crime Lab
The state forensic laboratory that operates the sexual assault kit tracking system and must create a statewide CODIS hit tracking system beginning in August 2026.
The details
The auditor reviewed the tracking system against state law and collection and pickup timeframes. State law does not explicitly require that all submitted kits be tested, does not set timeframes for law enforcement pickup, and includes no penalties for noncompliance or oversight authority for the system.
Timeline
- 2023: Louisiana created its current sexual assault kit tracking system.
- July 2024 through December 2025: Period of kit collection reviewed in the audit.
- February 2026: Date as of which 337 kits had not been submitted by law enforcement.
- August 2026: State law requires the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab to create a statewide CODIS hit tracking system.
Legal Context
The audit notes that unlike other states, Louisiana's law sets no timeframes for law enforcement to pick up sexual assault kits and no penalties for noncompliance. Louisiana joined 40 other states in allowing victims to track the status of their kits, but the gaps in enforcement remain.
Sexual assault survivors in Louisiana can track the status of their kits, but the system does not always show accurate location or status information. Survivors and their families face uncertainty about whether evidence will be tested while the gaps in pickup timeframes and oversight remain.
The takeaway
Victims seeking updates on their sexual assault kits should ask law enforcement and the crime lab directly about submission and testing status. The audit's findings show the tracking system's limits, so checking more than once may be necessary.
What happens next
Starting in August 2026, the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab must create a statewide CODIS hit tracking system.
Further reading
For more on how the state handles these cases, see Sex Crimes coverage for Louisiana.
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