Trigger warning: assault. Plus data on what each state spends on education, police salaries and more.

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** How many rape kits are going untested in your state?
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Thousands of rape kits are sitting in crime labs across the country, awaiting testing — despite federal initiatives and substantial funding to reduce this backlog. Due to the lack of publicly available information, USAFacts reached out to law enforcement in dozens of states for rape kit data ([link removed]) and found that the number of untested kits in many states is growing.

This backlog raises concerns about missed opportunities to identify offenders, prevent future assaults, and give survivors a chance at closure.
* As of 2022, there were at least 25,000 untested rape kits in 30 states and Washington, DC. (A Congressional Research Service report found estimates of the nationwide count to be between 90,000 and 400,000 kits). Some of these had not yet been submitted to crime labs by the law agencies that collected them, and some were submitted to the crime labs but had not been tested.

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* Connecticut was the fastest state in testing, testing 100% of its 542 kits within 30 days or fewer. Most states failed to test more than 50% of kits within the same timeframe.
* Comparing backlog data between states is difficult due to inconsistent definitions and reporting. Among states that provided data, Maryland had the highest number of backlogged rape kits in law enforcement agencies (3,599) in 2022. In contrast, North Carolina had the highest number in crime labs (9,045).
* Since 2018, the numbers of untested rape kits in crime labs have increased more than fivefold in five states: North Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia, Louisiana, and North Dakota.

Last September, the House of Representatives introduced the Rape Kit Backlog Progress Act in an effort to address this backlog and apprehend violent criminals. See much more, including which states responded to USAFacts’ requests and visualizations on how quickly states are testing rape kits ([link removed]) in backlogs.


** What do states spend on K-12 education?
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The Every Student Succeeds Act required states to publish yearly school-level per-pupil expenditure data. Recent data shows a spending range of more than $15,000 per student. How much does your state spend on primary and secondary school? Here are the numbers ([link removed]) .
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* New York led the nation in per-student spending in public schools. In 2022, the state spent $27,504 per student. Conversely, Idaho reported the lowest spending: $9,670 in 2022. (This data is preliminary and does not include nine states.)
* Nationally, per-student education spending increased 6.3% from 2020 to 2021. Maine more than doubled this increase, raising its education spending by 16%.
* Federal contributions to public school revenues grew from $46.4 billion in 2020 to $92.9 billion in 2022.


** Data behind the news
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Last Friday, the US began airstrikes at sites in Iraq and Syria as retaliation for a drone strike that killed three US service members at a US support base on January 28. See the data on where US troops are stationed overseas ([link removed]) , and why.

Stanley cups, the internet’s drinking vessel du jour, contains lead as part of its insulation. However, experts say the public doesn’t need to worry. Meanwhile, here’s who is affected by elevated lead levels ([link removed]) , ([link removed]) and in which states.

A bipartisan Senate bill that would reform immigration policy at the southern border (and move additional Ukraine aid ([link removed]) forward) faces opposition in the House of Representatives. See the facts on immigration and border security ([link removed]) .

Think you know the facts? Prove it with the weekly fact quiz ([link removed]) .


** One last fact
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In 2022, police officers earned the highest salaries ([link removed]) in California. Police and sheriff’s patrol officers there earned a median of $104,160. Washington followed with a median salary of $94,107, then New Jersey ($88,100) and Illinois ($86,130). This trend held even after accounting for differences in the cost of living in each state, with officers in California, Washington, and Illinois still earning the most.

Salaries were the lowest in Mississippi (an annual median of $37,240), Arkansas ($39,040), and Louisiana ($44,620).
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