Arson in Lee County, Florida

In Lee County, arson cases result in conviction at a notably high rate: 75 percent of defendants are found guilty, compared to a statewide guilty rate of approximately 85 percent across all arson cases. The 10 percent rate at which judges withheld adjudication in Lee County matches the statewide average, meaning some defendants avoid formal conviction records despite guilty findings. Most striking is Lee County's zero dismissal and zero diversion rate. Statewide, 2.3 percent of arson cases are dismissed and 1.8 percent are diverted to programs; Lee County has neither outcome, indicating the local State Attorney pursues these cases aggressively to resolution without pretrial program alternatives.

Defendants convicted of arson in Lee County face substantial sentences: the median is 867 days, with an average of 813 days. Probation sentences average 1,461 days. About 40 percent receive confinement—20 percent to prison and 20 percent to jail—while the remaining defendants serve probation-only sentences. Public defenders represented 35 percent of defendants, while only 5 percent hired private attorneys, suggesting most defendants qualified for public counsel and had limited financial resources.