In Detroit overcrowding forced the city to release 2,700 pretrial felony defendants and sentenced felons in 1987.

However, he said, the initial program in Manhattan would include all felony defendants over the age of 16.

Before arraignment, all felony defendants in the city now are interviewed by personnel from a nonprofit private group, the Criminal Justice Agency.

The cases included evidence that justices stole money, abused their powers and - without notifying prosecutors - released felony defendants without bail.

Each year the nation's jails have 20 million admissions and exits, with more than 600,000 inmates in residence each day, including many felony defendants awaiting trial.

Utah, for example, has long provided that any felony defendant 14 or older could be sent to adult court by a juvenile court judge.

The jail serves as a detention center for pre-trial felony defendants and those convicted of misdemeanor offenses in county or town courts.

Most felony defendants are repeat offenders; yet, most felony defendants are sentenced not to prison but to probation.

At the initial appearance, the court informs a felony defendant that he or she is entitled to a preliminary examination before the criminal case may go forward.

Under the law, the court must appoint a lawyer for any felony defendant who is too poor to pay for one.