CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bail in Mecklenburg County typically matched a certain amount of money to certain charges.

Now judges will consider two factors while setting conditions of release; safety to the community and likelihood the individual will appear for court.

Now low and moderate risk offenders can be released for significantly less money or with monitoring, giving poor and working class people the chance to get back to their lives.

"I think that this new system will ensure that we are not jailing people simply because they're poor and making money, really, the centerpiece around how you earn your freedom before you're even convicted of a crime," said District Court Judge Elizabeth Trosch.

The new bail policy went into effect back on March 1.