Larceny / Theft in Escambia County, Florida
1,730 cases (2025) · Escambia County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Escambia County prosecuted 1,736 larceny cases with an exceptionally lenient dismissal rate that distinguished its handling from peer counties. Dismissals reached 10.4%—nearly six times the statewide 1.7% rate—allowing a substantial share of defendants to exit prosecution without adjudication. The guilty rate of 68.8% sat comfortably below many counties, and withheld adjudication at 13.7% provided additional conviction-avoidance. Diversion touched only 5.8%, suggesting Escambia's prosecutorial approach emphasized early case elimination through dismissal rather than program-based alternatives.
Sentencing for convicted defendants was exceptionally lenient. Average incarceration was just 295 days with a median of 117 days. Only 6.2% received prison time—the lowest rate statewide—while 30.5% served jail. The combination of high dismissal rates and light sentences created the most favorable defendant-side distribution for larceny prosecution in Florida. Public defenders appeared in 15.8% of cases.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Larceny / Theft charge in Escambia County makes it in front of a judge. Of 5,620 prosecutor decisions on Larceny / Theft charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 38.5% — above the 23.7% 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 — 69.2% of 1,730 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,730 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 | 1,058 | 4.9 months |
| State Prison Facility | 295 | 2.8 years |
| Confined to Other Diversionary Facility | 1 | 2.5 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Larceny / Theft sentencing in Escambia County.
Need a Defense Attorney in Escambia County?
Get matched with a local attorney who handles Larceny / Theft cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Larceny / Theft in Escambia County?
The guilty rate is 69.2% based on 1,730 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Larceny / Theft in Escambia County?
Adjudication is withheld in 13.7% 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 Larceny / Theft in Escambia County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 10.1 months, with an average fine of $356 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
15.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1,021 | 71.0% | 10.8% |
| Black | 660 | 68.5% | 8.8% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,741 | 73.7% | 9.1% | 1 year, 3 months |
| 2024 | 1,624 | 76.7% | 1.1% | 11.6 months |
| 2025 | 1,730 | 69.2% | 10.4% | 10.1 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| NULL | NULL | 2,256 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 977 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 962 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 871 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 21 |
| Felony | First Degree | 7 |
| Felony | NULL | 1 |
Related Charges in Escambia County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 3,108 | 59.3% | 14.1% |
| Drug Possession | 2,249 | 75.7% | 6.8% |
| Other | 1,544 | 39.2% | 4.9% |
| Battery | 847 | 61.4% | 14.6% |
| Trespassing | 676 | 83.7% | 7.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 610 | 77.2% | 8.4% |
| Fraud | 335 | 72.2% | 9.6% |
| DUI | 528 | 89.6% | 8.9% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Larceny / Theft in Escambia County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,730 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/larceny-theft/escambia
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Escambia 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 · 1,730 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com