The backlog of untested rape kits in Tennessee is a statewide crisis. According to ENDTHEBACKLOG, a 2014 audit showed there are 9,062 untested rape kits in Tennessee alone. I used the 2014 figure as it is the only number that can be definitely proven, however, since that was five years ago, it is safe to assume that number has dramatically increased. 

         I wanted to see how much it would cost Tennessee to test all of the rape kits. The cost to run a kit can be between $1000-1500. I decided to use $1500 in my equations, so the numbers I've got could be too high. Anyways, going off of the Tennessee Budget Proposal for 2017-2018, the state's budget was 37 billion dollars. It would cost Tennessee $13,593,000 to test all of the backlogged kits. Using the same figure, Tennessee's budget for "other" expenditures was 19%, or $7,030,000,000. If we divide the cost to run all of the rape kits by $7,030,000,000 we get 0.1934%. 

        In closing, Tennessee has the money to end the back log and to start trying to get justice for survivors of sexual assault. The role of the government is to protect its people. Everyday those kits just sit there is another day that Tennessee's government is telling survivors that they are not a priority.