Burglary in Hillsborough County, Florida
1,185 cases (2025) · Hillsborough County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Hillsborough County handled 1,185 burglary cases with outcomes significantly more lenient than the statewide average. The guilty rate of 63.3% was well below the state norm, while diversion programs—which offered defendants an exit path short of conviction—appeared in 9.1% of cases compared to 2.3% statewide. Adjudication withheld occurred in 16.6% of cases, exceeding the statewide rate of 13.1%. Despite these favorable outcomes, dismissals remained low at 1.1%, matching Duval's restrictive rate.
Sentences were markedly shorter: average prison terms of 817 days with a median of just 366 days. About one-third of sentenced defendants received prison, while 28% received jail time. Unusually, 89% of defendants retained private counsel, a proportion far above typical public defender caseloads, suggesting either an affluent defendant pool or distinct case composition.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Burglary charge in Hillsborough County makes it in front of a judge. Of 4,963 prosecutor decisions on Burglary charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 32.4% — in line with the 31.2% 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 — 63.3% of 1,185 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,185 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 |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 1,358 | 3.7 years |
| County Jail | 1,189 | 7.8 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Burglary sentencing in Hillsborough County.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 601 | 63.6% | 1.2% |
| White | 562 | 64.1% | 1.1% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,360 | 71.8% | 3.3% | 2.1 years |
| 2024 | 1,118 | 74.2% | 2.2% | 2.4 years |
| 2025 | 1,185 | 63.3% | 1.1% | 2.2 years |
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 | 2,564 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 757 |
| Felony | First Degree punishable by life | 280 |
| Felony | Life | 45 |
| Felony | First Degree | 17 |
Related Charges in Hillsborough County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 12,179 | 50.5% | 9.0% |
| Drug Possession | 6,254 | 71.9% | 1.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,618 | 68.4% | 2.6% |
| Sex Offense | 4,360 | 85.4% | 1.9% |
| Trespassing | 2,769 | 81.1% | 8.5% |
| Battery | 3,226 | 49.7% | 3.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,885 | 69.3% | 3.6% |
| Other | 2,559 | 74.0% | 1.9% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Burglary in Hillsborough County?
The guilty rate is 63.3% based on 1,185 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Burglary in Hillsborough County?
Adjudication is withheld in 16.6% 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 Burglary in Hillsborough County?
The average sentence is 2.2 years (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
10.9% of defendants use a public defender, while 89.1% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Burglary in Hillsborough County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,185 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/burglary/hillsborough
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Hillsborough 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 · 1,185 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com