New York lawyer James R. Marsh, the victim’s attorney and an expert on child abuse law, said Eginton’s ruling is unlikely to cause a spike in claims for restitution.
That is because, he said, the number of victims who have been identified from seized computer images is tiny – perhaps 200 children. Many of those victims, he said, are still children; they were photographed or videotaped when they were babies.
Some victims may not be aware of their legal rights, Marsh said. In other cases, he said, parents may decide that children are better served by not going to court.