Columbia Missourian: Jen Shen’s piece on testing rape kits
Jen wrote a guest commentary in the Columbia Missourian titled “Test every rape kit? Not so fast” about the push to test every untested rape kit that sit in police evidence rooms around the country.
Shen discusses how sexual assault kit analysis has more legal and moral complexities than are apparent at first glance.
“When we test samples from a kit, it is possible the samples may contain a mixture of DNA, from both the attacker and from a consensual partner — or partners. In such cases, lab technicians are required to test “reference samples” to rule out the innocent. This means the victim must supply identifying information about those consensual partners, so samples from them can be collected. The victim is essentially being required to hand over to police investigators data about every recent intimate encounter he or she has had, how many, and with whom.”
Jennifer Shen
To read the full article, visit the Columbia Missourian.
Court TV: How genealogy tests help solve crimes, and a massive 70+ person drug bust
Jen was invited to Court TV to explains how genealogy tests like 23andMe help solve cold cases, and a massive drug bust that netted 70+ people.
Court TV: NAACP calls for police brutality investigation, and a masseur accused of sexual assault.
Jen was invited to Court TV discuss a violent arrest that sparked NAACP calls for an independent investigation, and the case of a masseur accused of sexually assaulting his clients.
Court TV: Police excessive force case and a waffle shop arrest
Jen was invited to Court TV to discuss violent arrest caught on camera and whether the officers used excessive force. In the second segment, discusses a waffle shop customer arrested for violating a pandemic stay-at-home order.
Court TV: Counterfeit cash case
Jen was invited to Court TV to discuss the struggles of a family-run ice cream shop that received large quantities of counterfeit cash during the already difficult times of coronavirus lockdown.
Court TV: Bus shooting and the release of a drunk driver who caused a fatal accident
Jen was invited to Court TV to discuss the case of a man who was shot and killed on a bus, and the release of an accused drunk driver involved in a fatal accident.
Jen Shen quoted in Daily Journal story on at-home rape kits
Jen was quoted in a story in The Daily Journal covering Monterey County’s use of self-administered sexual assault evidence collection kits during the coronavirus quarantine:
Former San Diego Police Department crime laboratory director Jennifer Shen said sexual assault reporting is a major issue deserving of national attention and law enforcement should always be looking for new ways to ensure victims get the care they need and that reports lead to investigations and ultimately a trial. However she does not think remote rape kits are the answer.
“I don’t know that the general public is aware of how complicated and complex these kits are,” Shen said in a phone interview last week. “There are a lot of working groups in California that met for months and months and months that put together a sexual assault kit that does everything that needs to be done when showing that we’re collecting the best evidence possible. That includes blood vials for collecting blood, urine for conducting drug testing and then a variety of swabs for all over the body, public hair samples, fingernail clippings. All of these things are involved in a sexual assault kit. It is not reasonable to think that the victim, who has been traumatized, can take a kit like this and then collect all the evidence needed. ”
Read the full story at DailyJournal.com (subscription required)
KTVU: Will at-home rape kits hold up in court?
Jen was invited to appear on San Francisco’s KTVU news to discuss Monterey County’s use of at-home rape kits during the coronavirus quarantine.