Making CCA a Part of Your Corrections Strategy

a strategic
corrections
partnership

“The cost of corrections is taking a toll
on federal, state and local government
throughout the United States. One of the
most promising strategies to contain these
costs is the implementation of publicprivate partnerships for the construction
and operation of prisons, jails and
detention facilities. CCA’s customers across
the country save millions in corrections
capital and operating expenses each year
from these partnerships.”

John Ferguson

President & CEO, Corrections Corporation of America

The logic of a public-private partnership in corrections is quite sound. By outsourcing the management of a portion of their inmate populations, federal, state and county agencies can reduce expenses,
avoid untimely capital expenditures, increase their
flexibility in addressing fluctuations in inmate populations, and improve the quality of inmate programs
that are fundamental to the rehabilitation process.

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Why are public-private
corrections partnerships so important
now?

services through education, vocational training and
substance abuse treatment programs. Corrective action within a correctional setting positively affects
offender re-integration into society, thus reducing
re-incarceration rates and the expense burden on

First, corrections spending represents a substantial

corrections systems.

cost to taxpayers. Most states spend close to 5% of
their total budget on corrections and these expendi-

Why select CCA as
your corrections
management partner?

tures can easily exceed $200 million a year for a typical state. Even a small county with only 500 inmates
spends over $8 million each year for incarceration

There are four key factors that set CCA apart in the

expenses.

minds of corrections professionals and political
Second, corrections spending is growing. The

leaders throughout the United States: performance;

number of inmates in the U.S. is increasing at a rate

experience; flexibility; and value.

of 3.4% each year according to recent published

federal, state, and local correctional facilities – sig-

1. CCA’s Outstanding
Performance Record in
Corrections Management

nificantly more than the 2.2 million offenders incar-

Security. Building and managing safe, secure fa-

cerated today. This growth will add billions annually

cilities is CCA’s primary responsibility. Being perfor-

to current incarceration expenses.

mance-driven and maintaining an excellent track

reports. Over the next five years, that means that
hundreds of thousands of inmates will be added to

record in fulfilling our responsibilities are the key
Third, today’s corrections management has long-

reasons CCA is the preferred partner for government

term consequences. With current recidivism rates

corrections agencies. CCA’s security record in mini-

for inmates averaging over 60%, corrections sys-

mum, medium, and maximum-security prisons is

tems are recognizing the importance of not just

exceptional. Our escape rate – 0.15 per 10,000 in-

incarcerating, but rather of providing rehabilitative

mates – is significantly lower than the national av2

erage of publicly managed prisons as demonstrated

Correctional Association – the highest standards

by the information on the following chart. Another

in the corrections industry. The ACA provides over

measure of security is homicide and suicide rates

450 criteria for evaluating operating excellence.

within a facility. CCA’s rates are lower than in the

Our training and staff development is a keystone to

public sector (see Prison Mortality Rate Comparison chart).

achieving this level of success. CCA is built around
the more than 15,000 employees who adhere to

Managing All Security Levels. The security-

stringent training requirements set forth by ACA,

level table dispels a common misconception that

our clients and CCA policies.

CCA and the private sector only manage low-security inmates. Most privately managed prisons are

Approximately 95% of CCA’s facilities are ACA ac-

medium-security and include the management of

credited, compared to only 15% of government-

maximum-security inmates as well.

managed facilities. The average ACA accreditation
scores at these CCA facilities is an impressive 99% on

Accreditation. Every CCA facility operates ac-

a 100% rating scale.

cording to practices established by the American

Total
Number
of Escapes

Total Avg.
Daily Inmate
Population

Escape Rate
(per 10,000
inmates)

ADULT PRISON ESCAPE
RATE COMPARISON
1999
2000
2001
Total**

1,046

1,313,565

7.96

587

1,288,300

4.56

547

1,352,834

4.04

2,180

3,954,699

5.51

2003
2004
2005
Total**

0

42,754

0.00

1

57,413

0.17

1

65,972

0.15

2

206,413

0.10

PUBLIC SECTOR vs. CCA

PUBLIC
SECTOR*

State and
Federal Prisons

CCA

CCA Prison
Facilities

* 2002 Corrections Yearbook (Most current data available.)
**3-Year total

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(mortality rate)

Suicides

(number of)

Suicides

(mortality rate)

PUBLIC SECTOR vs. CCA

Homicides

(number of)

Homicides

PRISON MORTALITY
RATE COMPARISON
PUBLIC SECTOR 2002*

48

0.40%

168

1.40%

CCA 2005

0

0.00%

3

0.61%

State & Federal Prisons

Avg. daily pop: 1,203,630

CCA Prison Facilities

Avg. daily pop: 49,035

*BJS Special Report: Suicide and Homicide in State Prisons and Local Jails, August 2005 (NCJ210036).

Internal Quality Assurance Program. CCA has

Lifeline, the CCA-developed intensive, long-term,

established more than 840 performance indicators

therapeutic program, is recognized throughout

by which our facilities are managed. Our active qual-

the corrections industry. This three-phase program

ity assurance program ensures that these standards

emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and the

are met in all facilities. Each CCA facility receives in-

willingness to change.

ternally conducted audits, as well as numerous exIn 2005, CCA inmates who were enrolled in edu-

ternal audits annually. In addition, our government

cation programs gained an average of about two

customers audit the operation of our facilities.

months of educational functioning for every month
Program Effectiveness. CCA’s frequently updated

of enrollment, as measured by the Test of Adult Basic

targeted programs for education, vocational training,

Education.

faith-based instruction, counseling, and substance
In 2005, more than 3,000 CCA inmates earned high

abuse help rehabilitate offenders and return them

school equivalency diplomas; more than 8,200 in-

to more productive lives in society. We measure and

mates earned certificates in vocational training and

report program effectiveness as a key part of our ac-

job skills courses; and more than 6,000 inmates com-

countability to government customers.

pleted courses designed to boost their living skills.
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cade than any other private industry provider. This
“Our focus on quality is the highest

experience has earned us a strong level of trust by a

it has ever been in the history of CCA.

broad segment of the corrections industry.

Not satisfied with our past record of
exceptional performance, we continue to

Achieving Results. CCA’s 95% contract renewal

set ever higher standards for ourselves.

rate testifies to our company’s success in meet-

We want there to be no question as to

ing the diverse needs of our customer base. These

who is the leader in this business.”

range from a 372-bed county jail in Liberty, Texas,

Richard P. Seiter

to a detention center for illegal aliens in Elizabeth,

Executive VP and Chief Corrections Officer,
Corrections Corporation of America

New Jersey for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a 1,676 medium-security bed
prison for the state of Tennessee, to a 2,650 bed in-

2. 23 Years of Experience
as the Private Industry
Founder and Leader

stitution in California City, California for the Federal
Bureau of Prisons.

CCA offers its customers 23 years of experience

detention centers. We manage juvenile and adult

3. Flexible Service
Strategies – Customized
for Each Government
Partner

facilities; male and female inmate populations;

An increasingly important advantage of partnering

and inmate populations ranging from minimum- to

with CCA is the flexibility we afford corrections of-

maximum-security levels.

ficials in the overall management of their inmate

with corrections systems of all sizes and security
levels. We have built and operated prisons, jails and

populations. CCA’s system size of more than 72,000
Partnering with All Types of Customers. CCA

beds, diverse facility locations, and variety of pro-

currently partners with all three federal corrections

grams give our clients the advantages of customiz-

agencies, almost half of all states, and dozens of

ing their CCA services, obtaining quick adjustments

county entities. In fact, CCA has designed, built and

to meet unexpected needs.

activated more correctional facilities in the past de5

Customized Service Packages. CCA can struc-

Providing Shorter Construction Times. The

ture service packages – combinations of programs,

average total construction time for a CCA prison is

medical, training, food services, etc. – to meet the

12 to 24 months, compared to the 36 to 60 months

specific needs of a given facility and its inmate pop-

it takes many government agencies to design, bid,

ulation. This flexibility allows government officials

approve, build, and activate a facility. The time sav-

to customize CCA’s offerings to meet their unique

ings translates into tremendous dollar savings to

needs or special requirements in each facility.

government corrections agencies and enables governments to more quickly meet their growth needs.

“CCA manages more than 52% of the
private sector market. The company has

all other private corrections management

4. Value – Providing
the Most Cost-Effective
Alternative for
Corrections Management

companies combined.”

CCA offers government agencies the opportunity

been selected by government agencies as
their corrections partner more times than

Damon Hininger

to provide a necessary and fundamental service at

VP Federal and Local Customer Relations,
Corrections Corporation of America

less cost to taxpayers. As a focused and innovative
company, CCA constantly seeks new methods, new
sources, and new technologies to reduce the costs

Meeting Unexpected Bed Needs. Given CCA’s

associated with inmate incarceration while main-

size – more than 60 facilities in 19 states and the

taining the highest quality standards.

District of Columbia with a total of more than 72,000
beds under ownership or management contract

Reduced Costs. In almost every situation, CCA

– we frequently can provide immediate solutions

provides federal, state and county corrections agen-

when customers have unexpected bed needs. This

cies with comparable or improved services at lower

flexibility relieves much of the requirement for cor-

costs. Given today’s growing corrections expendi-

rections officials to maintain more beds than they

tures, partnering with CCA can produce substantial

actually need.

savings for almost any governmental agency.

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CCA’s operating cost per inmate per day averages

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE
SECTOR COST

more than 20% lower than the average per diem of
all states in which CCA operates. (source: CCA’s contracted
2001 rates and 1999-2001 Corrections Yearbooks and state agency

$61.04

web sites)

$43.62

Financial Strength and Indemnification.
CCA’s contractual partners enjoy the benefits of
working with a well-managed, fiscally sound or-

PUBLIC PRIVATE
Sector Cost

ganization that moves quickly to accommodate

Sector Cost

customer needs. Of great significance is the fact that

Source: As reported by states in The 2001 Corrections Yearbook,
Criminal Justice Institute (Note: Public Sector data for calendar
year 2000 – the most recent public sector data available.

CCA indemnifies its government partners against
court actions or judgments relating to facility operations, thus reducing inmate liability.

New Mexico partners with the private sector for
approximately 42% of the state’s inmate popula-

Built for Savings. CCA produces cost savings by

tion. A May 23, 2002 Albuquerque Journal article on

applying proven construction and management

corrections indicated that the average daily inmate

principles to a correctional setting. CCA-designed

cost in the state’s 5 private-run prisons was $52.08

facilities feature efficient design principles aimed

compared to $91.53 in 5 state-run facilities. While

at lowering operational costs. All operational areas

there may be service factors that contribute to some

are housed under one roof, ensuring clear-sight

of this difference, the private facilities are saving the

observation areas and avoidance of unused space,

state over $40 million per year on the 4,471 inmates

and facilities feature the most modern correctional

housed in these private operations.

technology to ensure a safe environment.

At least five states in which CCA operates have statu-

Avoidance of Capital Expenditures. Given

tory cost savings requirements for private correc-

political leaders’ efforts to fund new schools, public

tions operators.

works, medical facilities, and other much-needed
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projects, the partnership with CCA, in effect, pro-

CCA can be a long-term partner and an integral

vides governments with an alternative source of

component of your corrections management strat-

funding. When the plans can be made cooperatively,

egy. A corrections partnership with CCA will help

CCA can provide the prison facilities – typically cost-

you improve the quality of inmate programs and

ing tens of millions or more – and free the agency to

services, reduce the costs associated with correc-

use its funds on other capital projects.

tions management, and obtain the flexibility needed to manage effectively. If you would like to know

Favorable Influence on Total Costs. One of the

more about how a CCA partnership would help you,

less observed but strategically important advan-

please contact us.

tages provided by a partnership with CCA is the influence the relationship has on overall costs – both

Corrections Corporation of America

public and private. The presence of competitive

10 Burton Hills Boulevard

sourcing keeps all corrections costs in a corrections

Nashville, TN 37215
(800) 624-2931

system more closely restrained.

www.correctionscorp.com
Excellent performance, unparalleled industry experience, flexibility, and value – these are the core
advantages that CCA brings to its relationships with
its government partners.

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07/2006

10 Burton Hills Boulevard • Nashville, TN 37215 • www.correctionscorp.com