What Are the Most Common Crimes in Florida?

If criminal charges have turned your world upside down, that's when our criminal defense attorneys become your strongest allies, fighting not only for your case, but for your future. We see beyond the charges to the person behind them, bringing both legal knowledge and genuine understanding to your defense when you need it most.

What Constitutes a Criminal Defense Case?

A criminal defense case begins when a person is charged with a crime by the state of Florida. Per the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, cases formally start with an arrest or when the prosecutor files charges.

Defendants have constitutional rights during criminal cases:

• The right to a lawyer
• The right to stay silent
• The right to a fair trial
• The right to confront a witness who is testifying against them through the legal system

To win a conviction, the prosecution must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt — a high legal standard designed to protect innocent people.

If convicted, the defendant may pay fines or restitution. They may be sentenced to probation or imprisonment, depending on the crime's severity. Case outcomes are typically determined by evidence strength, prior criminal record, and the quality of legal defense provided.

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The Most Common Crimes in Florida

Every Floridian deserves to know what safety challenges their communities face. These are some of the most frequent reasons people are arrested across Florida.

Property Crimes

Property crime encompasses theft, burglary, and vandalism. These charges range from misdemeanors to felonies based on value, with penalties increasing with the value of the stolen items. Many vandalism cases involve minors, with enhanced penalties for targeting religious institutions or public utilities.

Drug Offenses

Small quantities of controlled substances can trigger felony charges under Florida's strict laws. Penalties can vary based on substance type, quantity, distribution intent, and the individual's prior criminal record.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence involves assault, battery, sexual assault, stalking, or other criminal offenses committed by household or family members. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, approximately 106,515 domestic violence incidents were reported in 2020, including 198 homicides. Penalties vary based on the specific offense, prior convictions, and injuries sustained.

Robbery

In contrast to larceny, robbery involves taking property through force, violence, assault, or creating fear. This crime is always charged as a felony. Penalties increase if the defendant used a weapon or injured the victim.

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

If a driver has a BAC of 0.08% or higher or is otherwise impaired by a substance, they can be convicted of DUI. First offenses bring up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines. Penalties increase for repeat offenses, higher BAC, minors present, or incidents causing damage, injury, or death.

Cybercrime

Cybercrime encompasses offenses like hacking, online fraud, identity theft, ransomware attacks, and online harassment. Florida residents reported over $874 million in losses due to internet crimes in 2023, ranking third nationally, according to the FBI. Penalties for cybercrimes depend on the specific statute violated and the scale of harm caused.

Juvenile Crime

Juvenile offenses involve crimes committed by minors under 18 years old. Approximately 43,000 juveniles were arrested in Florida in fiscal year 2022-23, according to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Florida's juvenile justice system focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment, offering diversion programs, probation, and commitment programs.

White-Collar Crime

White-collar crimes include nonviolent financial offenses like fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and securities violations. Penalties range widely based on the financial amounts involved.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking involves exploiting people through force, fraud, or coercion for labor or commercial sex acts. The National Human Trafficking Hotline received 1,904 reports from Florida in 2023, the third highest number in the United States. This first-degree felony carries severe penalties, with enhanced sentences when minors are involved.

Florida Crime Statistics Compared to National Averages

Understanding how Florida crime rates compare to national statistics provides valuable context for residents and those facing charges in the state.

Overall Crime Trends

Florida's crime rates vary by category compared to national averages. According to the United States Sentencing Commission, individuals in Florida were sentenced for crimes involving fraud, theft, and embezzlement at much higher rates than the national average; 15.8% of sentences in Florida involved these crimes, compared to 8.1% nationally.

While certain types of crime occur more frequently in Florida, the state has shown significant improvement in many categories over recent decades. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) reported that overall crime volume decreased by 9% from 2017 to 2018.

Violent crime, in particular, has continued to drop, falling 23% between 2019 and 2023, according to the Council of State Governments.

Why Florida's Crime Patterns Differ

Florida's crime patterns, especially the outsize prevalence of fraud, may be due to tourism (over 140 million visitors in 2024) and demographic factors; 21.8% of Florida residents are 65 and older — a population considered especially vulnerable to fraud.

The state’s geography is likely linked to a history of drug trafficking, and crime rates may also be affected by Florida’s many populated cities and large number of residents.

Possible Strategies for Criminal Defense in Florida

Effective defense against criminal charges in Florida depends on the circumstances of your case. The South Florida Justice attorneys have developed proven defense strategies that have helped other clients who faced serious criminal charges.

Here are some strategies our criminal defense attorneys might employ.

Constitutional Challenges

We can challenge an illegal search or seizure that violated your Fourth Amendment rights, preventing any evidence found during the incident from being used in court. Any procedural violations we can uncover during your arrest or questioning might allow us to invalidate evidence.

Drug Case Defense

One potential defense to a drug charge is establishing that you didn’t know about or didn’t have access to the substances. We can also question whether chain-of-custody procedures were followed or whether lab tests were valid. Critical deadlines apply to these defenses, which is why it’s best to contact an attorney as soon as you know you are under suspicion of a drug crime.

DUI Defense

Potential DUI defenses include challenging the accuracy of breathalyzer results, questioning the appropriateness of field sobriety tests, or disputing probable cause. Certain medical conditions can also lead to false DUI charges.

Violent Crime Strategies

If you were accused of assault, our strategy might rely on self-defense, mistaken identity, or lack of intent. Sometimes, we can challenge the credibility of witnesses to the alleged crime, creating reasonable doubt.

Alternative Resolutions

When you face criminal charges in Florida, a trial is not your only legal option.

Instead, your criminal defense attorney might negotiate for one or more of these outcomes:

• Charge reduction through a plea deal
• A diversion program that allows you to avoid a criminal record
• Sentencing alternatives that minimize long-term consequences

If this is the first time you have been accused of a crime, we have even more options to leverage in bringing your case to a close in your favor.

Don't Let Florida Criminal Charges Control Your Future — Act Now

When the state brings charges against you, everything is on the line. That’s why you need an aggressive advocate who stands firm.

South Florida Justice is prepared to thoroughly examine your case, challenge all evidence, and pursue every available strategy that could result in the reduction or dismissal of your charges. Contact us anytime for a free consultation with a skilled criminal defense attorney.