Larceny / Theft in Salem

Salem's larceny cases result in convictions slightly more often than dismissals, with a 51.1% conviction rate against a 48.6% dismissal rate. This outcome tracks exactly with Virginia's statewide average for larceny charges, suggesting Salem handles these cases in line with how the broader state does. The city's acquittal rate of 0.3% is exceptionally low, meaning almost no defendants are found not guilty at trial; the vast majority of cases end through plea agreements, with over half of defendants pleading guilty rather than proceeding to verdict.

Cases move relatively quickly through Salem's system compared to the full range of court dockets. The median time to resolution is 100 days, though the middle half of cases span from 43 to 276 days depending on complexity. When convictions occur, sentences tend toward the modest end: the median sentence is 90 days, though the average runs higher at 249 days due to some longer sentences pulling the mean up. Fines averaged $125 per conviction. A small portion of cases—5%—see the initial charge reduced, primarily to petit larceny or embezzlement charges under $1,000.