A criminal charge of aiding and abetting is known as an accomplice crime, and may be brought against anyone who helps with the commission of a crime. Aiding and abetting charges vary from state to state (and under federal law), but generally require that the defendant knowingly and intentionally aided and abetted the principal(s) in each essential element of the underlying crime. A person charged with aiding and abetting is often not present when the underlying crime is committed, but has knowledge of the crime before the crime is committed, and assists with the commission of the crime by providing information, action, or financial support. If the person aiding and abetting has a sufficient degree of involvement in the crime, the participation may rise to the level of being a conspiracy to commit the underlying crime.

In Kansas, aiding and abetting is addressed under the state's criminal statutes as a form of complicity. Kansas law stipulates that anyone who intentionally aids, abets, advises, hires, counsels, or procures another to commit a crime can be charged and prosecuted as if they were a principal offender. This means that an accomplice to a crime faces the same legal consequences as the person who directly committed the offense. The state requires that the defendant must have had knowledge of the criminal intent of the principal actor and must have willfully contributed in some way to the execution of the crime. The level of involvement can range from providing information or resources to planning or encouraging the crime. The charge of aiding and abetting in Kansas reflects the seriousness with which the law views participation in criminal activity, even if the accomplice is not present during the commission of the crime itself.