Burglary in Lee County, Florida

In Lee County, burglary defendants face conviction outcomes that exceed statewide trends. Seventy-six percent of the 646 cases resulted in guilty verdicts, significantly higher than the pattern across Florida's 35,504 burglary cases. Adjudication withheld in 16.7 percent of Lee cases—where judges found guilt but protected defendants' records—runs above the statewide average of 12.9 percent. Dismissals occurred in less than one percent of cases, trailing the statewide rate by 0.7 percentage points. Diversion programs, which allow case dismissal through program completion, were used sparingly at 1.7 percent, below the statewide 2.1 percent. These outcomes suggest the Lee County State Attorney's office pursues burglary cases aggressively and secures convictions at higher rates than most Florida counties.

Sentencing reflects the severity of burglary handling in Lee County. The median sentence of 731 days masks substantial variation, with an average pulling toward 1,164 days—indicating some defendants received years-long sentences. Confinement was common: 40.1 percent received prison time and 18.1 percent received jail. Public defenders handled most cases at 17.8 percent of defendants, with only 6 percent retaining private counsel, suggesting economic vulnerability among the accused.