Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray is calling for a statewide conversation among lawmakers, law enforcement, and victim advocates about the testing of rape evidence kits.

Those who support the submission of all kits for examination reason that by collecting more DNA profiles, authorities will find links to serial rapists and solve more cases. Proponents cite studies that show sexual assault to be a pattern offense.

Others say mass testing is a waste of money since most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows—not strangers whose identities are in question. Often the question is not whether the accused had sexual contact with the accuser, but whether it was forced or consensual.

Cordray believes a statewide policy for handling rape kits would be more effective but seeks further discussion before passing a blanket law like that recently passed in Illinois.

Source: Cleveland Live