Child Abuse / Neglect in Duval County, Florida
159 cases (2025) · Duval County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Duval County convicted 51.6% of child abuse and neglect defendants—notably lower than typical criminal charges—while withheld adjudication reached 45.9%, nearly twice the statewide 26.3%. Combined, 97.5% of defendants avoided formal convictions through either dismissed charges (2.5%) or withheld adjudication (where guilt is found but no conviction is recorded). This reflects prosecutorial and judicial caution with family-involved cases.
Diversion programs were unused despite the statewide average of 10.3%, limiting alternatives to formal processing. Sentences were moderate: averaging 711 days with a median of 183 days. Prison confinement was rare at 13.2%, while 29.6% served jail time. With 57.2% represented by public defenders and 38.4% by private counsel, defendant economics were more balanced than in other crime categories.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Child Abuse / Neglect charge in Duval County makes it in front of a judge. Of 390 prosecutor decisions on Child Abuse / Neglect charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 41.0% — in line with the 42.9% 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 — 51.6% of 159 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 159 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 |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 159 | 4.1 months |
| State Prison Facility | 125 | 4.5 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Child Abuse / Neglect sentencing in Duval 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 | 83 | 43.4% | 2.4% |
| White | 74 | 62.2% | 2.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 214 | 67.3% | 0.0% | 2.3 years |
| 2024 | 176 | 58.0% | 0.0% | 2.2 years |
| 2025 | 159 | 51.6% | 2.5% | 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 | 369 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 113 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 43 |
| Felony | First Degree | 14 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 10 |
Related Charges in Duval County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,130 | 36.9% | 3.3% |
| Drug Possession | 4,899 | 73.9% | 0.1% |
| Other | 4,405 | 22.2% | 0.6% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,441 | 68.9% | 0.3% |
| Battery | 1,878 | 65.2% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,076 | 81.3% | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 1,795 | 84.4% | 0.4% |
| DUI | 1,415 | 98.1% | 0.2% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Child Abuse / Neglect in Duval County?
The guilty rate is 51.6% based on 159 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Child Abuse / Neglect in Duval County?
Adjudication is withheld in 45.9% 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 Child Abuse / Neglect in Duval County?
The average sentence is 1 year, 12 months, with an average fine of $190 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
57.2% of defendants use a public defender, while 38.4% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Child Abuse / Neglect in Duval County, Florida (2025). Based on 159 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/child-abuse-neglect/duval
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Duval 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 · 159 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com