This book investigates the legal and procedural challenges inherent in prosecuting cases of childhood sexual abuse that are brought to court long after the alleged incidents occurred. Penney Lewis, a scholar in criminal law, analyzes the tension between the rights of the defendant to a fair trial and the systemic barriers that prevent victims from reporting abuse in a timely manner. The work synthesizes legal precedents, procedural hurdles, and the evolving understanding of trauma to propose a framework for balancing justice in delayed prosecution scenarios.

Legal scholars and practitioners identify this monograph as a rigorous examination of the intersection between criminal procedure and victim advocacy. Experts frequently cite the text for its balanced approach to the complexities of historical abuse litigation within the Oxford Monographs on Criminal Law and Justice series.