Larceny / Theft in Alachua County, Florida

Alachua County prosecutes larceny cases more aggressively than the statewide average. The guilty rate of 81.2 percent substantially exceeds outcomes in most Florida counties, while the dismissal rate of 0.5 percent falls sharply below the statewide average of 1.8 percent. The withheld adjudication rate of 9.6 percent is notably lower than the statewide average of 16.1 percent, meaning defendants in Alachua are less likely to avoid a formal conviction finding even when guilt is established. Diversion programs, which allow case dismissal through program completion, account for 7.3 percent of outcomes here, slightly below the statewide rate of 8.5 percent. These patterns suggest Alachua County's State Attorney prioritizes conviction and formal adjudication in theft cases.

Sentences in Alachua reflect this prosecutorial stance. The median sentence of 274 days masks substantial variation, with an average of 572 days accounting for longer terms in serious cases. Nearly 60 percent of defendants face confinement—either prison or jail—with jail accounting for 34 percent and prison for 25.4 percent. Probation typically extends nearly three years on average. Public defenders represented 48.4 percent of defendants, while private attorneys appeared in only 3.8 percent of cases, indicating most defendants proceeded with court-appointed counsel.