Ohio has reported over 11,000 cold case investigations since 1965. Dr. Rachel Lovell, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Director of the Criminology Research Center at the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education, and Jonathan Whitmer-Rich, Professor of Law, and Codirector of the Criminal Justice Center, Cleveland State University College of Law, joined Ideastream’s Marlene Harris Taylor for a recent podcast, “DNA can help move cold-case investigations forward and bring closure for victim’s families.” 

Dr. Lovell shared her research on rape kit testing and how advanced DNA technologies, including forensic genetic genealogy, have changed the criminal justice system’s ability to identify serial sexual offenders. She also spoke about her research with sexual assault survivors and why sexual violence so often goes unreported in our community.