In most cases, an offender with no prior criminal history will have a better chance of getting a positive case result than somebody with a more extensive criminal background.
Not to say that all first-time offenders have it easy. Certainly your more serious felonies - such as murder, attempted murder, sexual battery, and armed robbery - will carry stiff penalties regardless of your priors - or lack thereof.
But repeat offenders may face sentencing enhancements, such as Habitual Felony Offender (simply referred to as a Habitual Offender or HO), Habitual Violent Offender (HVO), and Prison Releasee Reoffender (PRRP). If you have the requisite priors, you may be facing significantly higher penalties, or even mandatory minimum sentences.
Even if you do not qualify for a sentencing enhancement (sometimes called Career Criminal enhancements), you will likely be looking at more substantial prison time if you have priors.
If you are charged in Florida with a serious offense and you have priors, it is critical that your criminal attorney be made fully aware of your entire criminal history so that he or she can best prepare your defense and provide you with accurate information as to what penalties you are facing.