What is the legal term for the act of assisting someone in committing a crime?

The legal term for the act of assisting someone in committing a crime can include several concepts, which is why the answer encompasses all the provided options.

Conspiracy refers to an agreement between two or more individuals to commit a crime at some point in the future. It indicates a plan or conspiracy to engage in criminal conduct but does not necessarily require any overt act to further that plan, depending on the jurisdiction.

Accomplice liability establishes that individuals who assist in the commission of a crime are held legally responsible, even if they did not directly commit the crime themselves. This concept recognizes that participating in or aiding criminal behavior—whether by providing support, assistance, or encouragement—makes one liable for the crime as if they had committed it themselves.

The term accessory specifically denotes a person who helps another individual in a crime, often before or after the crime has been committed, enhancing the ability of the principal offender to carry out the crime or helping them evade capture after the fact.

All these concepts capture the various ways in which someone can assist in the commission of a crime, affirming that different legal terms express similar involvement in criminal activities. Hence, acknowledging the contributions of conspiracy, accomplice liability, and accessory roles collectively delineates the spectrum of responsibility associated with aiding a