Wrangell Sentinel -

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska is starting the new year with a change in the way the state handles criminal bail.

People charged with a crime will no longer have to pay money to get out of jail before their trial, the Juneau Empire reported.

Starting Monday, the state will evaluate each individual under a point system that considers how likely they are to show up to court appearances or commit a new crime.

The change means more people will be out of jail with supervision, said Nancy Meade, general counsel of the Alaska Court System to the assembled attorneys.

It also means the state won’t have t...