Criminal Mischief in Broward County, Florida
348 cases (2025) · Broward County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Broward handled 348 Criminal Mischief cases with outcomes notably diverging from statewide patterns. Guilty verdicts accounted for 54.6%, while withheld adjudication—finding guilt without a conviction on the defendant's record—reached 37.1%, nearly double the statewide 17.1% rate. Dismissals hit 6.0%, well above the statewide 2.4%, suggesting prosecutorial or judicial skepticism about these charges. Diversion programs resolved only 1.7% of cases versus 6.8% statewide.
Sentenced defendants faced average terms of 271.9 days with a median of 103 days, plus 793 days average probation. Roughly 30.7% received jail time and 5.2% faced state prison, meaning the majority avoided incarceration.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Broward County makes it in front of a judge. Of 3,642 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 34.2% — in line with 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 — 54.6% of 348 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 348 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 | 318 | 4.7 months |
| State Prison Facility | 39 | 2.8 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Broward County.
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 | 213 | 55.9% | 7.0% |
| Not Available | 133 | 52.6% | 4.5% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 289 | 53.3% | 2.8% | 6.0 months |
| 2024 | 415 | 49.9% | 5.1% | 8.4 months |
| 2025 | 348 | 54.6% | 6.0% | 9.0 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 | 497 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 324 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 231 |
Related Charges in Broward County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 6,520 | 22.1% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,161 | 62.6% | 1.7% |
| Drug Possession | 2,012 | 54.5% | 12.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,556 | 52.6% | 5.3% |
| Trespassing | 1,337 | 55.9% | 4.7% |
| Other | 1,326 | 32.6% | 32.9% |
| Battery | 823 | 53.9% | 8.3% |
| Fraud | 976 | 55.2% | 3.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Broward County?
The guilty rate is 54.6% based on 348 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Broward County?
Adjudication is withheld in 37.1% 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 Broward County?
The average sentence is 9.0 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Broward County, Florida (2025). Based on 348 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/broward
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Broward 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 · 348 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com