Sexual Assault in Colorado: The Human Cost of Delayed Justice

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Introduction

Sexual assault remains one of the most underreported and under-prosecuted violent crimes in the United States. For survivors, the trauma does not end when the assault ends. The search for justice often becomes a second ordeal—one marked by lengthy investigations, delayed forensic testing, and unresolved cases.

In Colorado, recent revelations about the state's forensic testing system have exposed a crisis that has left thousands of survivors waiting for answers.

The Scope of the Problem

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the state faced a backlog of approximately 1,400 sexual assault cases awaiting DNA analysis in 2025. At its peak, the average turnaround time for processing sexual assault evidence kits exceeded 500 days—more than five times Colorado's goal of 90 days.

For survivors, these delays can mean waiting a year and a half or longer before investigators receive critical evidence needed to identify suspects, pursue charges, or confirm innocence.

The backlog worsened following the discovery of misconduct by former CBI forensic scientist Yvonne "Missy" Woods, who has been charged with more than 100 criminal counts related to allegedly manipulating or mishandling DNA evidence over many years. Investigators estimate that more than 10,000 cases require review because of her work, including thousands involving sexual assault allegations.

While Colorado has made progress by outsourcing testing to accredited private laboratories and hiring additional DNA scientists, more than 1,400 cases remained backlogged in early 2026.

Beyond the Numbers

A backlog is not simply a statistic.

Every untested kit represents a person who made the difficult decision to undergo an invasive forensic examination, report a deeply personal crime, and trust the justice system to respond.

When evidence sits unprocessed for months or years:

Survivors may lose confidence in law enforcement and the courts.

Perpetrators may remain free to harm others.

Critical evidence can become harder to corroborate.

Communities lose faith in public institutions.

Many sexual assaults are never reported. Of those that are reported, only a fraction result in arrests or convictions. Delays in forensic testing compound an already difficult path to justice.

Colorado's Response

Colorado lawmakers approved funding to help address the backlog, including $3 million for outsourcing sexual assault kit testing and DNA retesting associated with the Woods investigation.

The state has also launched a public dashboard to improve transparency and track progress toward reducing wait times.

These are important steps, but meaningful reform requires sustained investment and accountability.

Policy Recommendations

Colorado should commit to:

Fully eliminating the sexual assault kit backlog.

Meeting and maintaining a maximum 90-day turnaround time for all kits.

Expanding recruitment and retention of qualified forensic scientists.

Increasing support services for survivors throughout the investigative process.

Strengthening independent oversight of forensic laboratories.

Ensuring regular public reporting on testing timelines and case outcomes.

Providing law enforcement agencies and survivors with timely updates on evidence status.

Conclusion

Justice delayed is justice denied.

Survivors deserve more than sympathy—they deserve action, accountability, and a system that treats their cases with urgency.

Colorado has the resources and the responsibility to ensure that no survivor waits years for answers. Every sexual assault kit represents a person, a family, and a community seeking justice.

The question is not whether we can fix this problem....

The question is whether we are willing to make it a priority..!!!

"Hope is OUR Policy"

Fred Osborne