> retroactively convict these people years or decades later, when they thought they were out of the woods Limitations exists for most crimes and torts. Prose

> retroactively convict these people years or decades later, when they thought they were out of the woods Limitations exists for most crimes and torts. Prosecuting someone years or decades later when potentially exculpatory evidence is less available (e.g. no one, even themselves can remember their alibis, etc.) would be highly unjust.