Is Sumner County Jail overcrowded? Explaining the conflicting capacity and population numbers
If you've seen different capacity and population numbers for Sumner County Jail, you're not imagining it — the same audit report lists multiple figures that don't line up. Here's what the report actually says, why it makes overcrowding hard to judge, and how to verify what's current before planning a visit or making decisions.
One page of the audit report lists Sumner County Jail's designed facility capacity as 956. That's the number you'll often see cited when people discuss what the building was built to hold.
A different page in that same audit lists the designated facility capacity as 964. So even within one report, you get two different capacity figures.
For population, the audit includes a "current population of facility" figure of 656 - essentially a snapshot from whenever that section was compiled.
The same section lists the average daily population for the past 12 months as 660. That figure represents a typical day across the prior year, not a single moment.
Elsewhere in the audit, though, the 12-month average daily population is listed as 960. That's a huge difference from 660 - and it changes how "near capacity" might look if you take it at face value.
The audit also records 950 inmates/residents/detainees in the facility on the first day of the on-site audit portion - another snapshot, tied to a specific date.
These entries don't point in the same direction. One section shows a designed capacity of 956 with a current population of 656 and a 12‑month average of 660. Another lists capacity as 964, the 12‑month average as 960, and documents 950 people in custody on day one of the on-site audit. When a single report contains conflicting figures like this, drawing a firm conclusion about overcrowding from the numbers alone is nearly impossible.
Note: With capacity listed as both 956 and 964 - and high population figures like 950 (day-one count) and 960 (12‑month average) appearing elsewhere - the audit creates real uncertainty about whether the jail was or is near/over capacity without additional confirmation.
- Call the jail and ask which numbers are current - Use 615-442-1843 and ask what the facility is using today for capacity and for current population, and what date/time the population snapshot is from.
- Ask them to point to the source if you hear multiple figures - If staff mention more than one capacity or population number, ask what report or page those figures come from and which one they consider the official/current figure.
- Write down who you spoke with and when - Get the person’s name and title if they’ll provide it, and note the date/time of the call so you can follow up consistently if you get a different answer later.
If email works better for you, the audit lists Jerry Scott (Warden/Jail Administrator/Sheriff) as the primary contact at jerryscott@sumnersheriff.com. Ask for the same basics: the current capacity figure they use, today's population, and the date of that count.
When a jail operates close to capacity - whether based on a higher average like 960 or a high one-day count like 950 - it puts pressure on daily operations. Higher populations typically mean less space, more strain on services, and tighter scheduling for anything that depends on staffing and movement. The audit numbers don't spell out specific impacts at Sumner County Jail, but they're a good reason to check current population before assuming how smooth (or crowded) things will be.
Recommendation: Because the audit report includes conflicting capacity and population figures, verify current numbers with the jail before treating the report as a clear answer about overcrowding.
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