The parties to crimes are classified as:
1. Principals; and,
2. Accessories.
Of Crimes and PunishmentsOf Parties to Crime
Section § 30
This law section explains that people involved in crimes are categorized into two groups: principals and accessories. Principals are those who commit the crime, while accessories are those who help in some way either before or after the crime.
parties to crimes principals accessories
Section § 31
This law states that anyone involved in committing a crime is considered a principal, whether they directly do it, help someone else do it, or encourage the crime. This includes advising or encouraging children or mentally incapacitated people to commit crimes, or getting someone drunk to make them commit a crime, or using threats or force to make someone commit a crime.
All persons concerned in the commission of a crime, whether it be felony or misdemeanor, and whether they directly commit the act constituting the offense, or aid and abet in its commission, or, not being present, have advised and encouraged its commission, and all persons counseling, advising, or encouraging children under the age of fourteen years, or persons who are mentally incapacitated, to commit any crime, or who, by fraud, contrivance, or force, occasion the drunkenness of another for the purpose of causing him to commit any crime, or who, by threats, menaces, command, or coercion, compel another to commit any crime, are principals in any crime so committed.
aiding and abetting crime commission encouraging crime
Section § 32
This law states that if someone helps a person who committed a felony by hiding them or helping them escape arrest, trial, or punishment, knowing that the person has committed or been charged with the crime, they are considered an accessory to the felony.
Every person who, after a felony has been committed, harbors, conceals or aids a principal in such felony, with the intent that said principal may avoid or escape from arrest, trial, conviction or punishment, having knowledge that said principal has committed such felony or has been charged with such felony or convicted thereof, is an accessory to such felony.
accessory to felony aid a principal harboring a felon
Section § 33
If someone helps another person commit a crime, they are called an accessory. Unless a specific punishment is laid out elsewhere, an accessory can be fined up to $5,000, jailed for up to a year, or both. In some cases, imprisonment can also follow other sentencing guidelines in Section 1170(h).
Except in cases where a different punishment is prescribed, an accessory is punishable by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
accessory to crime fine imprisonment
