Sussex Correctional Institution's Capacity and Size: What Families Should Know About This Georgetown Facility

Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) is located in Georgetown, Delaware. If you're traveling in for a visit or helping someone coordinate transportation, knowing the correct city makes planning a lot easier.

SCI opened in 1931, making it one of Delaware's older correctional facilities. That history matters because older institutions tend to grow in phases. The layout and housing areas you hear about may reflect different eras of construction.

The facility also went through a major expansion project that has since been completed. When you see different capacity figures reported for SCI, that expansion period is part of the reason the numbers can look inconsistent from one source to another.

SCI's reported capacity isn't one clean, consistent number. One published figure states that between April 1997 and April 2000, 760 beds were added, bringing SCI to a total capacity of 1,109 beds. In the same description, another statement puts the post-expansion total at 1,206 beds. If you're trying to gauge how large the facility is today, treat these as conflicting published figures rather than a settled headcount.

Security and Population

• ✓ Houses maximum-security inmates
• ✓ Houses medium-security inmates
• ✓ Houses minimum-security inmates
• ✓ Houses an all-male population

SCI holds maximum, medium, and minimum security inmates, and the population is all male. You may hear staff or your loved one mention different custody levels or housing areas when you're coordinating visits, mail, or other services. The practical takeaway: details can depend on where someone is housed inside the institution. You'll get the clearest answers when you ask questions using your loved one's current housing information.

Before you build plans around SCI's size, confirm what's current. The publicly described capacity numbers don't match (1,109 beds in one statement, 1,206 in another), and the completed expansion can lead to outdated or mixed references. If your question ties back to scheduling, housing, or what to expect on arrival, a quick call to the Department of Correction can save you a wasted trip and a lot of frustration.

1. Start with the Delaware Department of Correction’s SCI information. Use it to ground your planning, but keep in mind the published capacity figures conflict.
2. Ask for the current capacity figure they are using. Specifically mention the two numbers you may see (1,109 and 1,206) so you can understand what is considered current.
3. Confirm logistics based on housing and security level. Policies and procedures can vary by where someone is housed, so get the details that apply to your loved one before you go.