Pennsylvania to Launch Statewide Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System

HARRISBURG, PA – January 29, 2026 – In a significant step toward enhancing transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has selected InVita Healthcare Technologies' Track-Kit™ as its new statewide system for tracking sexual assault kits (SAKs). The initiative, which will be administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), aims to provide survivors of sexual violence with unprecedented visibility into the journey of their evidence kits.

The selection follows the passage of Act 122 of 2024, landmark legislation mandating the creation of a unified, electronic tracking system. This law compels participation from all entities that handle SAKs—from healthcare facilities where they are collected, to law enforcement agencies that investigate, and the forensic laboratories that process the evidence. For survivors, the system promises a secure, anonymous portal to monitor their kit's status and location, providing answers to questions that have historically gone unanswered for months or even years.

A New Era of Transparency for Survivors

For decades, survivor advocates have highlighted the profound psychological distress caused by the uncertainty following a sexual assault examination. After enduring the invasive but crucial process of evidence collection, survivors often handed their kits into a system that offered little to no feedback, creating a 'black hole' of information that compounded their trauma.

"For years, survivors have handed over their evidence and been left in the dark, wondering if their case mattered or if the kit was just sitting on a shelf," stated a representative from a state-level victim advocacy group. "This system returns a small but crucial measure of control to them. Knowing where the kit is and that it's moving through the process can significantly reduce anxiety and help rebuild trust in a system that has often failed them."

InVita's Track-Kit platform is specifically designed to address this gap. It will provide survivors with a unique login, allowing them to anonymously check the status of their kit at any time. They can opt-in to receive automated notifications as the kit moves from the hospital to law enforcement, then to the forensic lab for analysis, and finally through the completion of the testing process. This consistent and transparent flow of information is designed not only to empower survivors but also to hold the system accountable for the timely processing of critical evidence.

The Technology Bridging the Justice Gap

The logistical challenge of tracking a single SAK across multiple jurisdictions and agencies is immense. A kit may begin its journey in a rural hospital, get transported by a local police department, and end up at a state-run forensic lab, with each entity using different, often incompatible, record-keeping systems. This fragmentation has been a major contributor to evidence backlogs and lost kits.

Track-Kit is engineered to solve this very problem. As a secure, cloud-based platform, it creates a single, unified chain of custody that is accessible in real-time to all authorized parties. When a kit is collected, it is assigned a unique barcode. At every subsequent step—transport, intake at a police evidence locker, transfer to a lab, and during analysis—the barcode is scanned, automatically updating the central system.

This technological backbone streamlines workflows for law enforcement and lab personnel, reducing manual data entry and the potential for human error. More importantly, it ensures data integrity and provides a clear, auditable trail for every kit in the commonwealth.

Given the intensely private nature of the data, security is a paramount concern. The system employs robust data encryption for information both in transit and at rest, along with strict, role-based access controls. This ensures that only authorized personnel can view specific case details, while the survivor's portal is designed to provide status updates without revealing any identifying personal information, thus guaranteeing anonymity.

Act 122: Codifying Accountability into Law

The implementation of this system is not merely a policy choice but a legal mandate under Act 122 of 2024. This legislation represents a powerful statement by Pennsylvania's lawmakers, formally recognizing the need for a survivor-centric and accountable process for handling sexual assault evidence. The law explicitly requires the PCCD to establish and administer the system and, crucially, mandates the participation of all relevant healthcare, law enforcement, and forensic agencies.

By codifying these requirements, the act ensures a standardized, statewide approach, eliminating the inconsistencies that previously existed between different counties and municipalities. It also establishes a clear framework for oversight, allowing the PCCD to monitor compliance and identify bottlenecks in the system. The legislation also thoughtfully includes provisions ensuring that contact information for support services, such as the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), is readily accessible to survivors through the tracking portal, connecting transparency with tangible support.

Pennsylvania Joins a Growing National Movement

With this decision, Pennsylvania becomes the 17th state to adopt InVita's Track-Kit, joining a rapidly expanding coalition of states dedicated to reforming SAK processing. This network now represents states covering more than 40% of the U.S. population, signaling a decisive national shift toward leveraging technology for justice reform. This trend is a direct response to the national outcry over staggering backlogs of untested SAKs discovered in police storage facilities across the country over the past decade.

By adopting a proven solution, Pennsylvania can benefit from the best practices and lessons learned from other states, accelerating its path toward a more efficient and compassionate justice system. The move solidifies InVita's position as a leader in this critical niche of public safety technology.

"Public safety professionals work every day to make a real difference in the communities they serve, and our mission is to build technology that helps support and strengthen their work," said Todd Collins, President & CEO of InVita, in a press release. "We're honored to support Pennsylvania in this initiative and to advance a statewide approach that promotes transparency, accountability, and justice for survivors."