The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) released its 2025 report on sexual assault offenses, showing there were approximately 3,900 sexual assault reports that led to a subsequent case. However, no evidence was ever found in hundreds of those cases.
Of the 2,861 cases closed, 613 resulted in the arrest of an adult and 91 resulted in the arrest of a juvenile. In 868 of those closed cases, allegations were determined to be unfounded. Nearly 1,000 cases are still in progress.
Law enforcement agencies across the state submit reports to ALEA that must include whether evidence was submitted for forensic analysis. In many cases, evidence was not submitted to analysis because the report was made months or even years after the alleged offenses. If evidence is not submitted, agencies must state why.
For example, Jacksonville State University Police Department reported its one case did not have evidence because, “There was no rape kit completed at the medical facility or by a medical professional.”
In Macon County, one of four cases without forensic evidence was because the Tuskegee Police Department “didn't follow up on [the case] and the victim filed complaint with AG's office that got referred to the Sheriff’s office.”
In other cases, evidence was not submitted after the victims declined to press charges or the allegations were determined to be unfounded.
The agencies that did not submit summary data regarding sexual assault cases to ALEA by the statutory deadline were:
Barbour County Sheriff’s Department
Cedar Bluff Police Department
Coaling Police Department
Collinsville Police Department
Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department
Courtland Police Department
Cuba Police Department
Elba Police Department
Fort Payne Police Department
Geraldine Police Department
Hartselle Police Department
Hollywood Police Department
Kinsey Police Department
Mentone Police Department
Midland City Police Department
New Hope Police Department
Newville Police Department
North Courtland Police Department
Oakwood University Police Department
Perry County Sheriff’s Department
Pickensville Police Department
The full report can be read below.
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