Burglary in Hillsborough County, Florida

Burglary defendants in Hillsborough County face conviction outcomes significantly higher than statewide patterns. With a 67.9 percent guilty rate, Hillsborough exceeds the broader Florida prosecution landscape for this charge. The county's withheld adjudication rate of 15.0 percent also outpaces the statewide average of 12.9 percent, meaning a substantial portion of defendants avoid formal convictions on their records despite judicial findings of guilt. Hillsborough's dismissal rate of 2.2 percent runs slightly higher than the statewide average of 1.5 percent, though acquittals remain rare at 0.1 percent. The diversion rate of 8.1 percent—programs allowing defendants to avoid conviction through completion of requirements—far exceeds the statewide average of 2.1 percent, suggesting Hillsborough offers more pre-trial diversion opportunities for burglary cases than most Florida counties.

Convicted burglary defendants in Hillsborough face substantial confinement: 36 percent receive prison sentences and 31.6 percent receive jail time. The median sentence of 366 days contrasts sharply with the higher average of 825.8 days, indicating some defendants receive lengthy prison terms that pull the average upward. Probation averages 1,067.5 days when imposed. About two-thirds of defendants retain private counsel, while one-third rely on public defenders.