Accessory具有以下三种含义，(1)附属物；从物；(2)附件；零件；(3)从犯。此处主要需要了解的是其第三种含义，即“从犯”，指帮助实施犯罪行为者。

从犯又分为事前从犯〔accessory before the fact〕和事后从犯〔accessory after the fact〕。在美国，大多数州一般只对重罪的从犯追究刑事责任。在英格兰，以前只在重罪上对主犯和从犯有所区分，但在叛逆罪中，所有的参与者都是主犯。在轻罪中，在重罪中会是事前从犯的被视为主犯；而在重罪中会是事后从犯的则不视为犯罪，除非有事实证明构成了实质上的犯罪。1967年《刑法》〔Criminal Law Act〕颁布后，共同犯罪人一般只划分为主犯和同谋犯。在苏格兰，主犯与从犯的区别，只在于主要参与与辅助参与之分，在刑事责任上没有区别。

下面我们可以结合具体释义及例句对事前从犯、事中从犯、事后从犯加以区分：

1.事前从犯 accessory before the fact

帮助或教唆他人实施犯罪，但在犯罪实际实施当时并不在场者。在美国《模范刑法典》〔Model Penal Code〕和大多数司法管辖区都取消了这类从犯，而统称为同谋犯。有时缩写为「accessory before」。

It refers to someone behind the scenes who orders a crime or helps another person commit it. Many jurisdictions now refer to accessories before the fact as parties to the crime or even accomplices. This substitution of terms can be confusing because accessories are fundamentally different from accomplices. Strictly speaking, whereas an Accomplice may be present at the crime scene, an accessory may not. Also, an accomplice generally is considered to be as guilty of the crime as the perpetrator, whereas an accessory has traditionally received a lighter punishment.

例句

An accessory before the fact refers to a person who procures or advises or commands the commission of a felony but who is not present at its perpetration.

事前从犯是指促成或建议或命令实施重罪但在实施时不在场的人。

2.在场从犯，事中从犯 accessory at the fact

在英国，大多数古代学者认为，事中从犯指在犯罪实施时在场，以帮助、教唆犯罪的实施者。只有在主犯被定为有罪或违法之后，才能将事中从犯提交审判。但现在这一划分已不复存在。在美国，又称其为二级主犯〔principal in the second degree〕。

In Britain, most ancient scholars believe that accessory at the fact refers to the person who is present when the crime is committed to help and abet the perpetrator of the crime. Only when the principal offender is found guilty or in violation of the law can the accessory in the matter be brought to trial.

例句

An accessory at the fact means a person who witnesses a crime but does not try to prevent it.

在场从犯指的是一个目睹犯罪但不试图阻止它的人。

3.事后从犯 accessory after the fact

即明知犯罪已经实施，帮助犯罪人逃脱逮捕或惩罚者。在美国，根据大多数州刑事法律的规定，对于事后从犯作单独处理，有4条要求：1.他人已经实施了重罪，而且必须在从犯实施之前已经完成；2.从犯不能与主犯同罪；3.从犯必须亲自帮助主犯以避免重罪处罚；4.从犯的帮助必须具有明知故意。《模范刑法典》〔Model Penal Code〕认为事后从犯其实不是共同犯罪人，按「妨碍审判罪」另行处理。有时缩写为「accessory after」。

An accessory-after-the-fact is someone who assists 1) someone who has committed a crime, 2) after the person has committed the crime, 3) with knowledge that the person committed the crime, and 4) with the intent to help the person avoid arrest or punishment. An accessory after the fact may be held liable for, among other things, obstruction of justice.

例句1

She was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to Buffy's murder.

她被定罪为巴菲谋杀案的事后从犯。

例句2

On closer inspection, though, the PC looks more like an accessory after the fact.

可是，再作仔细观察，个人计算机更像是个事后从犯。