Homicide in Miami-Dade County, Florida
350 cases (2025) · Miami-Dade County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
Miami-Dade County, with the largest homicide caseload in the sample (344 cases), maintains high conviction rates while offering some adjudication-withheld outcomes. In 2025, 87.2% were convicted and 9.3% had adjudication withheld (no conviction record), combining for 96.5% conviction-equivalent outcomes. Dismissals occurred in only 1.2% of cases, below the statewide 2.0% rate, and acquittals were rare at 2.3%. The sheer volume reflects Miami-Dade's size and homicide prevalence.
Prison confinement applied to 79.1% of defendants with sentences averaging 4,901 days (13.4 years), among the shortest in this homicide sample. Probation averaged 2,944 days for released defendants. Counsel was balanced: 31.1% private attorneys and 32.6% public defenders, indicating a diverse defendant economic profile. The relatively lower sentences despite high conviction rates may reflect Miami-Dade's processing of higher volumes including lower-grade homicide degrees.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Homicide charge in Miami-Dade County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,979 prosecutor decisions on Homicide charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 43.5% — above the 27.7% 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 — 87.4% of 350 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 350 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) |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 894 | 13.0 years |
| County Jail | 76 | 1 year, 4 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Homicide sentencing in Miami-Dade County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Homicide in Miami-Dade County?
The guilty rate is 87.4% based on 350 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Homicide in Miami-Dade County?
Adjudication is withheld in 9.1% 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 Homicide in Miami-Dade County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 13.2 years, with an average fine of $463 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
32.6% of defendants use a public defender, while 30.9% 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 | 209 | 90.9% | 1.4% |
| White | 141 | 82.3% | 0.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 408 | 91.9% | 1.2% | 13.3 years |
| 2024 | 330 | 88.2% | 4.8% | 13.4 years |
| 2025 | 350 | 87.4% | 1.1% | 13.2 years |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | First Degree | 525 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 221 |
| NULL | NULL | 191 |
| Felony | Capital | 151 |
Related Charges in Miami-Dade County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 4,568 | 20.8% | 47.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 4,727 | 65.2% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 2,849 | 65.8% | 0.7% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,016 | 52.2% | 2.1% |
| Battery | 1,905 | 46.0% | 1.9% |
| Burglary | 1,192 | 69.1% | 1.0% |
| Fraud | 1,417 | 40.0% | 0.5% |
| Traffic Offense | 1,104 | 56.7% | 5.5% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Homicide in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2025). Based on 350 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/homicide/miami-dade
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Miami-Dade 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 · 350 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com