Police in some US cities are taking a softer approach to nonviolent crime as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

In Philadelphia, police said this week that they would be “delaying” arrests for offences such as theft and prostitution. The measures are aimed at minimising contact between officers and suspects in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Under the plans, officers will be given discretion to decide whether to classify a crime as nonviolent, and will seek advice from supervisors about whether suspects pose a threat to the public.

“The department is not turning a blind eye to crime,” Philadelphia police commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. “No one will escape accountability for the crimes that they commit.”

The new approach is one of a series of measures by law enforcement agencies that together represent a significant shift in policing as a result of the outbreak.

It comes as authorities in a number of states have started to release inmates to lessen the risk of an outbreak in jails.

Philadelphia district attorney Larry Krasner said his office would seek to release most people charged with nonviolent offences without them having to post bail.

According to the Philadelphia Enquirer, Mr Krasner also urged police to “exercise discretion in charging to avoid jail overcrowding, particularly given fears that crowded jails will be unable to separate prisoners as needed to stop the spread of the virus.”

A number of counties in California, Florida, Ohio have already started to release inmates early, and New York’s mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that he is planning to release “vulnerable” inmates from city jails.

“In the next 48 hours, we will identify any inmates who need to be brought out because of either their own health conditions — if they have any pre-existing conditions, etc. — or because the charges were minor and we think it’s appropriate to bring them out in this context,” he said.

“That said, we still need our criminal justice system to function,” he added.