Weapons Offense in Broward County, Florida
442 cases (2025) · Broward County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Broward County prosecuted 440 weapons offense cases with outcomes more permissive than statewide averages. The dismissal rate reached 3.2 percent, double the statewide rate of 1.5 percent. Withheld adjudication was 18.4 percent versus the statewide 9.4 percent, and diversion remained consistent at 2.3 percent. This pattern reflects larger urban courts with more developed early-resolution and diversion infrastructure.
Sentences remained severe for convicted defendants: averaging 1,391 days—nearly four years—with a median of 731 days. Prison accounted for 39.3 percent of confinement, jail 18.4 percent. Probation extended to 3.5 years on average, reflecting the seriousness with which weapons offenses are treated in Broward.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Weapons Offense charge in Broward County makes it in front of a judge. Of 3,855 prosecutor decisions on Weapons Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 39.1% — above the 34.5% 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 — 75.6% of 442 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 442 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 | 472 | 4.3 years |
| County Jail | 274 | 9.2 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Weapons Offense sentencing in Broward County.
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 | 361 | 77.0% | 3.0% |
| Not Available | 77 | 68.8% | 3.9% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 457 | 49.2% | 1.3% | 2.4 years |
| 2024 | 537 | 67.2% | 2.6% | 2.7 years |
| 2025 | 442 | 75.6% | 3.2% | 3.8 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 | Second Degree | 744 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 334 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 225 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 126 |
| Felony | First Degree | 7 |
Related Charges in Broward County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 6,643 | 22.2% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,223 | 62.6% | 1.7% |
| Drug Possession | 2,033 | 54.5% | 12.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,592 | 52.6% | 5.2% |
| Trespassing | 1,381 | 55.9% | 4.6% |
| Other | 1,341 | 33.0% | 32.5% |
| Battery | 830 | 54.1% | 8.4% |
| Fraud | 992 | 55.0% | 3.2% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Weapons Offense in Broward County, Florida (2025). Based on 442 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/weapons-offense/broward
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Broward 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 · 442 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com