The Northwestern District Attorney's Office is trying to keep certain detainees out of correctional facilities during the coronavirus pandemic.
The office is reviewing all pending cases in Hampshire and Franklin counties in which the defendant is held on bail, and is identifying those whose release would not endanger the lives and safety of the general public or pose a significant flight risk.
The D.A.'s office says even before the virus pandemic reached this area, prosecutors sought bail only in cases where it was deemed necessary to ensure the person's appearance in court; therefore, the D.A.'s office says the number of defendants held on bail in the local district is among the lowest in the state.