Criminal Mischief in Alachua County, Florida
227 cases (2025) · Alachua County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, criminal mischief defendants in Alachua County faced a markedly punitive prosecution environment. The guilty rate reached 81.1%, far higher than the state average, while dismissals dropped to zero compared to a statewide average of 2.4%. The withheld adjudication rate of 11.4% was also below state norms at 17.1%, meaning fewer defendants avoided conviction on their permanent record. Alachua's State Attorney appears to prioritize conviction outcomes over alternative resolutions.
Sentencing outcomes reflected this aggressive posture. Defendants averaged 445 days in sentences, with a median of 274 days. Over half faced jail time, and 15.4% received prison sentences. Public defenders represented just 21.1% of defendants, indicating a high proportion were either unrepresented or represented by private counsel, though available data shows minimal private attorney involvement.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Alachua County makes it in front of a judge. Of 536 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 8.0% — below the 31.9% 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 — 81.5% of 227 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 227 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 | 281 | 5.5 months |
| State Prison Facility | 77 | 3.3 years |
| Confined to Other Diversionary Facility | 1 | 2.0 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Alachua County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Alachua County?
The guilty rate is 81.5% based on 227 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Alachua County?
Adjudication is withheld in 11.5% 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 Criminal Mischief in Alachua County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 1 year, 3 months, with an average fine of $105 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
20.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 1.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 146 | 87.0% | 0.0% |
| White | 80 | 71.2% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 174 | 75.9% | 0.6% | 8.1 months |
| 2024 | 170 | 80.6% | 0.0% | 1 year, 2 months |
| 2025 | 227 | 81.5% | 0.0% | 1 year, 3 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 279 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 164 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 128 |
Related Charges in Alachua County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 864 | 68.6% | 0.0% |
| Drug Possession | 861 | 81.6% | 0.0% |
| Larceny / Theft | 735 | 82.3% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 616 | 65.1% | 0.8% |
| Other | 435 | 71.5% | 1.1% |
| Resisting Officer | 419 | 76.4% | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 325 | 88.6% | 0.6% |
| Probation Violation | 289 | 94.8% | 3.8% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Alachua County, Florida (2025). Based on 227 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/alachua
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Alachua 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 · 227 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com