NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Juveniles awaiting trial in Orleans Parish will no longer be detained simply because their families can't afford to post bond.
 
New Orleans Juvenile Court judges, in a statement, said they voted in December to get rid of imposing bail as a condition of pre-trial release.
 
NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports young offenders now will be released on their parents' recognizance, unless there is "an established likelihood of failure to appear," or if the alleged offender is a danger to themselves or others.
 
Chief Judge Candice Anderson says eliminating bail is as much about reducing the youth detention population and addressing racial disparities in juvenile justice as it is about financial issues.
 
The new policy took effect Dec. 19.