Criminal Mischief in Pinellas County, Florida
399 cases (2025) · Pinellas County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Pinellas County balanced prosecution and alternatives across 400 Criminal Mischief cases. Guilty verdicts reached 69.0%, with withheld adjudication at 13.2%, below the statewide 17.1%. Dismissals were modest at 3.0% versus statewide 2.4%. Diversion programs resolved 9.2% of cases, notably above the statewide 6.8%, offering defendants alternatives to conviction.
Sentences averaged 218.7 days imprisonment with a median of 90 days, plus 459.1 days probation. Fines averaged $153.31. About 46.0% of defendants received jail time and 6.2% state prison. Public defenders handled most cases.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Pinellas County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,662 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 42.5% — above 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 — 69.2% of 399 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 399 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 | 557 | 4.0 months |
| State Prison Facility | 66 | 2.7 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Pinellas County.
Need a Defense Attorney in Pinellas County?
Get matched with a local attorney who handles Criminal Mischief cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Pinellas County?
The guilty rate is 69.2% based on 399 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Pinellas County?
Adjudication is withheld in 13.0% 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 Pinellas County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 7.3 months, with an average fine of $153 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
14.3% of defendants use a public defender, while 5.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 222 | 65.3% | 3.6% |
| Black | 129 | 77.5% | 2.3% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 390 | 66.4% | 4.1% | 6.4 months |
| 2024 | 410 | 74.6% | 5.4% | 7.3 months |
| 2025 | 399 | 69.2% | 3.0% | 7.3 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 | 565 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 332 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 300 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Pinellas County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Possession | 6,836 | 76.0% | 1.5% |
| Other | 6,400 | 14.4% | 0.4% |
| Traffic Offense | 5,464 | 78.4% | 0.6% |
| DUI | 2,353 | 97.8% | 0.7% |
| Trespassing | 2,539 | 86.2% | 4.8% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,443 | 75.3% | 2.0% |
| Battery | 2,015 | 55.2% | 3.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,570 | 78.5% | 1.5% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Pinellas County, Florida (2025). Based on 399 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/pinellas
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Pinellas 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 · 399 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com