Larceny / Theft in Polk County, Florida
2,669 cases (2025) · Polk County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Polk County processed 2,655 larceny cases with moderately balanced outcomes. Guilty rate of 69.9% sat between harsh jurisdictions and lenient ones, and withheld adjudication at 19.4% exceeded statewide average of 15.6%. Diversion usage at 8.4% matched statewide rates of 8.7%, indicating proportional use of alternatives. Dismissals remained rare at 0.5% versus statewide 1.7%.
Sentences showed substantial variation: median 120 days versus average 472.8 days. Jail confinement was 32.7%, prison 14.0%. Private attorney representation at 22.1% was notably higher than most peers, suggesting stronger defendant resources across the large caseload. Probation averaged 556.8 days.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Larceny / Theft charge in Polk County makes it in front of a judge. Of 6,712 prosecutor decisions on Larceny / Theft charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 6.5% — below 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 — 70.3% of 2,669 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 2,669 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 | 2,778 | 4.8 months |
| State Prison Facility | 1,033 | 3.0 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Larceny / Theft sentencing in Polk County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Larceny / Theft in Polk County?
The guilty rate is 70.3% based on 2,669 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Larceny / Theft in Polk County?
Adjudication is withheld in 19.1% 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 Larceny / Theft in Polk County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 1 year, 4 months, with an average fine of $183 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
45.1% of defendants use a public defender, while 22.3% 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 | 1,700 | 69.1% | 0.4% |
| Black | 938 | 73.2% | 1.0% |
| Asian | 26 | 38.5% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,342 | 66.1% | 0.4% | 10.1 months |
| 2024 | 2,850 | 67.3% | 0.8% | 1 year, 2 months |
| 2025 | 2,669 | 70.3% | 0.6% | 1 year, 4 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 | 2,884 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 2,584 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 2,298 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 77 |
| Felony | First Degree | 18 |
Related Charges in Polk County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,862 | 51.9% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 5,926 | 81.8% | 0.1% |
| Other | 3,588 | 40.2% | 5.7% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,448 | 77.3% | 0.8% |
| Battery | 1,836 | 63.0% | 2.7% |
| Trespassing | 1,480 | 77.8% | 4.3% |
| DUI | 973 | 97.8% | 0.4% |
| Sex Offense | 849 | 51.8% | 0.5% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Larceny / Theft in Polk County, Florida (2025). Based on 2,669 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/larceny-theft/polk
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Polk 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 · 2,669 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com