Corrections Corporation of America

Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is the fifth largest owner and operator of partnership detention and correctional facilities in the country behind the federal government, California, Texas and Florida. CCA manages over 60 prison, jail and detention facilities across 20 states and the District of Columbia; 44 of these facilities are owned by the company. Since its founding in 1983, CCA proudly strives to keep ahead of the private corrections management industry’s best practices for design, construction, expansion and administration of facilities. And CCA takes pride in providing innovative programming to help adult and adolescent inmates prepare for a better life ahead.

CCA headquarters is located in Nashville, Tenn., and the company is responsible for more than 80,000 inmates at all security levels. The company manages its facilities according to more than 500 strict performance guidelines developed by the American Correctional Association and the requirements of the company’s many federal, state and local government partners. During the last three decades CCA has forged the way for public-private partnerships in the corrections industry by balancing a commitment to the highest standards and an approach based in integrity, innovation, respect, loyalty, trust, cost-effectiveness, safety and accountability.

In fact, CCA employs over 17,000 professionals who take pride in providing a meaningful public service that goes beyond policy and procedure. Through its CCA Research Institute division the company leads the way in developing and implementing research-backed, progressive programs for substance abuse, vocational training, rehabilitation and education.

An Innovative, Tailored Approach

A leader in correctional public-private partnerships, the CCA Research Institute reports on issues ranging from effective correctional architecture and construction to safety and security. The CCA Research Institute is dedicated to the development of industry best practices with an emphasis on a finding’s fiscal impact and cost-effectiveness for the benefit of its own operations and the industry at large.

At the core of CCA’s operations is the dedication to discovery, investigation and communication. This commitment to symbiotic benefits extends to the company forging strong relationships in local markets that enable the firm to provide significant savings in construction. CCA’s flexible professionals can get a project off the ground and into operation fast, while making the most of every taxpayer dollar because of the company’s creative, adaptive approach to designing, building and operating facilities. The CCA team takes pride in shirking the one-size-fits-all approach and instead partners with federal and state entities – including the U.S. Marshals Service, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons – to address the specific needs of communities and inmates for customized solutions.

Most recently CCA was awarded a contract to design, build and manage a new correctional facility for the Georgia Department of Correction in Jenkins County, Ga. CCA has been a partner to the state for over a decade, operating five correctional facilities responsible for over 7,000 inmates and detainees. The new facility is estimated to cost $57 million and will serve up to 1,150 male inmates with cells made of steel instead of concrete.

The design incorporates five separate buildings all sporting state-of-the-art technology and an emphasis on energy efficiency and resource conservation. The Jenkins facility, located in Millen, Ga., will be outfitted with high-efficiency lighting, low-E coated glass windows, HVAC systems, low-flow plumbing fixtures and an Energy Management System (EMS). The EMS system collects data from meters installed throughout the building to track the performance of a building’s energy systems and enable operators to make real-time adjustments to save on natural gas, water and electricity usage wherever appropriate.

Giving Back

The Millen facility is indicative of CCA’s current emphasis. In recent years the company has prioritized the inclusion of resource saving and sustainable features across all of its facilities. “We have a very robust internal system to focus on energy efficiency, low-flow fixtures, solar hot water heaters, and greywater recycling to geothermal heat pumps,” expands Tim DeBuse, managing director of CCA project management and real estate. DeBuse is an architect by training and brings over 20 years of experience specializing in criminal justice. DeBuse and the CCA team believe that the energy-efficient features provide both obvious environmental benefits and are one more way for CCA to stretch taxpayer dollars farther.

Oklahoma-based, Native American-owned contracting company Flintco is the Jenkins County facility’s general contractor and construction is on track to be completed in March 2012. The staffing process is even underway, and CCA expects to generate 200 full-time positions for corrections professionals and breathe new life into Millen, which was hit hard by the economic downturn.

Millen is the seat of Jenkins County, with the third-highest unemployment rate in the state according to data from the Georgia Department of Labor. CCA hopes to help rebuild the community by recruiting local professionals and providing a much needed tax boost. CCA is currently offering employees competitive compensation packages complete with full medical, dental and optical insurance, as well as life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 401(k) savings and retirement plan, a college savings plan, paid time off, leadership training and professional development opportunities.

In the years to come CCA’s conscientious approach will further the company’s lead in the corrections industry as the nation’s largest private partner. Along the way CCA will strive to find greater efficiencies, while simultaneously working to create jobs and rebuild communities. Backed by over a quarter century of experience, Corrections Corporation of America develops dynamic programs that offer the most positive impact on those involved in every facet of the full-service partnership corrections industry.