No. Neck and Fingernails Kits are NOT entered into the PERK Tracking System.
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Do all NFKs have to be submitted to DFS for testing?
Unlike PERKs, law enforcement is not required to submit NFKs from reported strangulation cases to DFS for analysis. Va. Code § 19.2-11.8. It is suggested that investigators consult with the Commonwealth’s Attorney to determine whether they recommend submission to DFS. The value of the examination depends on the individual facts of the case.
What if the victim does not want to report the strangulation to law enforcement?
Like PERKs for sexual assaults, NFKs for strangulation may be collected “anonymously” during a forensic examination and forwarded to the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) by the collecting health care provider. Va. Code § 19.2-11.6.
Do I need to collect an NFK and a PERK?
If an incident of strangulation occurs with a sexual assault, a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit (PERK) should be used to collect the DNA evidence. PERKs contain additional swabs for the collection of relevant strangulation samples. An NFK should not be collected in this situation.