Assault in Polk County, Florida
370 cases (2025) · Polk County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Polk County handled 370 assault cases with outcomes closely aligned to statewide patterns. Guilty findings reached 62.2% and withheld adjudication 24.1%, marginally above the statewide 22.2%, while the dismissal rate of 2.4% nearly matched the state average of 2.5%. Diversion, however, remained extremely low at 0.3%, far below the statewide 5.1%, indicating limited reliance on pretrial programs despite high case volume.
Confined convictions averaged 725 days with a median of 364 days. Prison sentences were imposed in 18.9% of cases and jail in 20.3%, among the lower confinement rates statewide. Probation averaged 745 days, with an average fine of $317.59. Notably, 30.5% of defendants retained private counsel—well above statewide norms—and 48.4% used public defenders, suggesting a more balanced representation profile.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Assault charge in Polk County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,172 prosecutor decisions on Assault charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 31.7% — below the 47.7% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 62.2% of 370 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 370 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 234 | 1 year, 11 months |
| State Prison Facility | 202 | 3.4 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Assault sentencing in Polk County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Assault in Polk County?
The guilty rate is 62.2% based on 370 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Assault in Polk County?
Adjudication is withheld in 24.1% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Assault in Polk County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 1 year, 12 months, with an average fine of $318 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
48.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 30.5% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 235 | 56.2% | 3.8% |
| Black | 131 | 71.8% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 287 | 62.4% | 1.4% | 1 year, 7 months |
| 2024 | 354 | 61.3% | 2.0% | 3.9 years |
| 2025 | 370 | 62.2% | 2.4% | 1 year, 12 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Third Degree | 459 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 350 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 150 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 52 |
Related Charges in Polk County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,862 | 51.9% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 5,926 | 81.8% | 0.1% |
| Other | 3,588 | 40.2% | 5.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,669 | 70.3% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,448 | 77.3% | 0.8% |
| Battery | 1,836 | 63.0% | 2.7% |
| Trespassing | 1,480 | 77.8% | 4.3% |
| DUI | 973 | 97.8% | 0.4% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Assault in Polk County, Florida (2025). Based on 370 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/assault/polk
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Polk County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 370 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com