What did the girls do to deflect themselves of punishment crucible?

In Arthur Millers play "The Crucible" the girls who accused innocent people of witchcraft used deflection as a way to protect themselves from punishment after it became evident that their accusations had been false. Abigail Williams, the ringleader of the group of girls, was particularly skilled at deflecting blame. When confronted about her role in the false accusations, Abigail would often accuse others, such as Mary Warren, of being the true instigator. She would also use her status as a young, orphaned girl to appeal to the sympathy of the court and the townspeople. Additionally, Abigail would use her knowledge of the townspeoples secrets and fears to intimidate them into silence. Through deflection and manipulation, Abigail and the other girls were able to avoid punishment for their actions and continue to wield their power over the town of Salem.