For example, many countries will punish a person who aids or abets another to commit a crime as severely as they punish the primary offender.
In R v Greyeyes 1997 2 SCR 825, Canada's highest court stated, in the context of the Canadian Criminal Code:
"The terms aiding and abetting are often used together in the context of determining whether persons are parties to an offence. Although the meanings of these terms are similar, they are separate concepts. To aid ... means to assist or help the actor. To abet ... includes encouraging, instigating, promoting or procuring the crime to be committed."
In R v Twigge, 1997 5 WWR 572, Saskatchewan's Court of Appeal said that "to abet another is basically to encourage the other".