Miami-Dade vs Broward: How Criminal Courts Compare
Miami-Dade and Broward counties are the two largest criminal court systems in Florida, processing tens of thousands of cases annually. They share a geographic border and many demographic similarities, but our data reveals meaningful differences in how their courts handle criminal cases.
By the Numbers
Both counties rank among Florida’s top five by case volume. Together, they account for a significant percentage of all criminal cases processed in the state. Despite their proximity, the two counties operate under different State Attorney’s Offices (the 11th Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade and the 17th for Broward) with distinct prosecutorial philosophies.
Use our county comparison tool to see the latest side-by-side statistics.
Conviction Rates
Our data shows that overall guilty rates differ between the two counties, with variation depending on the charge category. For some offenses, Miami-Dade shows higher conviction rates; for others, Broward does. The differences are most pronounced for mid-level felonies and least significant for the most serious violent crimes, where both counties prosecute aggressively.
These differences reflect not just prosecutorial strategy, but also differences in plea bargaining culture, judicial temperament, and the composition of defense counsel (public vs. private representation ratios).
Dismissal Rates
Dismissal rates tell an important story. Cases can be dismissed for many reasons: insufficient evidence, witness unavailability, prosecutorial resource constraints, or defendant completion of pre-filing diversion programs. Our data reveals that the two counties show different dismissal patterns depending on the charge type.
Domestic violence cases are a notable example. Both counties have higher dismissal rates for DV cases than for other violent crimes, but the magnitude of the difference varies. This likely reflects the well-documented challenge of prosecuting DV cases when alleged victims become uncooperative.
Adjudication Withheld
Both Miami-Dade and Broward make extensive use of Florida’s adjudication withheld disposition, but the rates differ by charge category. Drug possession and petit theft cases tend to see the highest withheld rates in both counties, while violent offenses and repeat offender cases see lower rates.
The variation between the two counties in withheld rates for the same charge category can exceed 5–10 percentage points, meaning a defendant in one county may be significantly more likely to avoid a formal conviction than in the other.
DUI Prosecution
DUI is one of the highest-volume charge categories in both counties. Our data shows differences in how the two jurisdictions handle DUI cases. Factors that may contribute to these differences include the size and resources of the respective DUI units, the availability of diversion programs for first-time DUI offenders, and judicial attitudes toward withholding adjudication on first-offense DUI (which is permissible under § 316.656).
Drug Cases
Drug possession and sale cases highlight the impact of diversion programs. Miami-Dade has historically operated one of the state’s largest drug court programs, processing a high volume of cases through therapeutic rather than punitive channels. Broward also has a robust drug court, but the two programs differ in eligibility criteria, program length, and completion rates.
Our data tracks pre-trial diversion rates for drug offenses in both counties, revealing how each system channels defendants toward treatment alternatives versus traditional prosecution.
Sentencing Patterns
For defendants who are convicted (adjudicated guilty), average sentence lengths vary between the two counties. Generally, sentences for comparable offenses tend to be in a similar range, but there are charge-specific differences. Our data allows you to compare average sentence lengths for any charge category between the two counties.
It is worth noting that average sentence length can be misleading without context. A county with a higher average sentence may be resolving more cases through plea bargains that dismiss the most serious charges, resulting in fewer but longer sentences. Conversely, a county with a lower average sentence may be convicting more defendants but at lower charge levels.
What This Means for Defendants
If you are facing criminal charges in either Miami-Dade or Broward County, the data underscores the importance of understanding your specific court’s patterns. An attorney familiar with the local State Attorney’s Office, the judges, and the available diversion programs can leverage this knowledge to pursue the best possible outcome.
Explore the Comparison
View the full side-by-side comparison of Miami-Dade vs Broward, or dive into specific charges: