BOSTON — A wave of accused criminals — including juveniles and violent offenders — could walk free in Massachusetts this week thanks to a courtroom crisis triggered by a defense attorney pay dispute.

Over 100 cases in Boston alone are scheduled for dismissal hearings starting Tuesday, as the state’s public defender system teeters on the edge of collapse. At least 101 juvenile defendants, one already in state custody, are among those currently without legal counsel.

The reason? Private attorneys who handle indigent cases are refusing to work — demanding a massive 54% raise from the state.

It’s already led to 23 defendants sprung from jail under an emergency court protocol that forces judges to release anyone without a lawyer for more than a week, or dismiss charges entirely after 45 days.

“This is a public safety nightmare,” said a Suffolk County DA spokesperson, warning that serious felonies like assault and domestic abuse could be tossed.

The Supreme Judicial Court has allowed more judges and courtrooms to be assigned as the crisis grows. Boston Municipal Court is bracing for 130 dismissal hearings this week, with 225 more on deck in early August. Middlesex County has 447 more cases in the pipeline.

Governor Maura Healey has offered little more than concern.

“People are entitled to representation,” Healey said — as dangerous criminals inch closer to freedom.