NEW YORK - Mayor Bill de Blasio hopes to more than triple the number of teens released from jail without bail.
New guidelines from the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice seek to free teens on charges as serious as armed robbery, assault and burglary.
However, the program is not automatic — a judge would still have to decide whether someone gets released.
These changes are a part of de Blasio’s controversial plan to shut down Rikers Island.
A spokesperson from the mayor's office tells us the policy should increase safety because many of the people who are risky are now released without supervision.
The guidelines also expand the number of adults eligible for the mayor's no-bail Supervised Release Program. It would also eliminate the need for defendants to prove community ties before arraignment to qualify for supervised release.
The policy changes are expected to go into effect Saturday.