A Quarter Century of Service to America

CCA is proud to have pioneered public-private partnerships in corrections. We paved the way in combining the best of the business world with the strong oversight and consistent standards of our governments.

Our time-honored experience and accomplishments enable CCA to bring our partners cost-effective correctional solutions, backed by the expertise of capable leaders. All three federal agencies – the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service – nearly half of all states and numerous county agencies partner with CCA.

CCA Incorporated

CCA was founded on January 28, 1983 with a progressive vision: to create public-private partnerships in corrections, replacing the government-only failures of the past with smarter, more effective solutions for the future. Co-founders Tom Beasley, Don Hutto and Doctor Crants brought diverse skills to their new venture: public policy, knowledge of the legislative process, experience in public corrections and financial expertise.

Houston Processing Center (1984)

Houston Processing Center was CCA's first design, build and manage contract from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service) in Texas. Construction was underway on the Houston Processing Center in Texas when INS notified CCA that it needed housing for detainees three months earlier than the original deadline. Co-founders Tom Beasley and Don Hutto went to Houston to find a motel to temporarily house detainees. The owner of the local Olympic Motel agreed to a 90-day lease. After a team of contractors cleaned and secured the facility, an INS inspection team approved the facility for use by 86 detainees, scheduled to arrive at 11 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday. Hutto bought toiletries at Wal-Mart with his American Express card, produced photo IDs and rolled fingerprints, while other corporate officers distributed sandwiches and helped security staff escort detainees to their living quarters. CCA's Houston Processing Center opened a few months later, in March 1984, and remains in operation for ICE today.

Tall Trees, Memphis, Tennessee (1984)

CCA assumed management of its first facility, Tall Trees, a 63-bed, non-secure juvenile facility, for the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County, in 1984.

Shelby Training Center, Memphis, Tennessee (1986)

CCA's 200-bed Shelby Training Center in Memphis, Tennessee was the first design, build and manage secure juvenile training school, housing male offenders for the Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County.

New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility (1989)

CCA contracted with the New Mexico Department of Corrections to design, build and manage the New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility in Grants. The 204-bed facility was the first women's prison in the United States to be built and operated by a partnership prison company.

Winn Correctional Center (1990)

CCA's Winn Correctional Center was the first medium-security private prison in the United States. Located in Winn Parish, Louisiana, the center was designed, financed and built by the state.

Leavenworth Detention Center (1992)

CCA designed and built the 256-bed Leavenworth Detention Center, which the company operates for the U.S. Marshals Service. The center was the first maximum-security partnership prison under direct contract with a federal agency.

Excellence in Accreditation: New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility (1991)

CCA's New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility became the company's first facility to achieve a perfect score from the American Correctional Association on its initial ACA audit in 1991. Since that time, six more CCA facilities have achieved this distinction -- Lee Adjustment Center, Lake City Correctional Facility, Bent County Correctional Facility, Otter Creek Correctional Center, Gadsden Correctional Facility, and California City Correctional Facility -- and 90% of CCA facilities are ACA-accredited.

LifeLine (1993)

CCA's LifeLine substance abuse treatment program is founded at Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility in Nashville, Tennessee. Since that time, 23 CCA facilities utilize the therapeutic community model, and the program has drawn the interest of officials from the public sector and other countries, including Russia, South Africa and Korea.

Transportation Services (1995)

CCA acquires TransCor America, Inc., the nation's largest long-distance inmate transportation company.

Correctional Treatment Facility (1997)

CCA assumes management of the Correctional Treatment Facility in Washington, D.C., a medium-security facility specializing in substance abuse treatment for adults. CTF represented many firsts for CCA: the first facility in the nation's capitol, the company's first contract for a purchase and lease-back agreement with local government, and the first partnership between CCA and organized labor unions.

David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center (1999)

CCA opened the 1,714-bed David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the largest county jail ever to become a partnership jail.

New Leadership, New Organization (2001)

To enhance the company's service to our partners and support long-term goals, CCA implements a new corporate structure. Highlights of the new structure include a realigned Partnership Development division with greater coverage for each of CCA's markets and the creation of a Human Resources department to enhance internal performance monitoring and establish a formal support network for CCA employees.

CCA Celebrates its 20th Anniversary (2003)

At this point in company history, CCA is the nation's sixth largest corrections system, with 59 facilities in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The company maintains a security record that compares well to our industry colleagues, with an escape rate more than 10 times lower than public corrections systems. Our commitment to quality performance-driven educational, vocational, substance abuse and re-entry programs for inmates continues to be at the forefront of our efforts.

The CCA Way (2004)

The CCA Way is launched, refining the company’s vision, mission and guiding principles, which include integrity, respect, trust, loyalty, safety and security, quality, accountability, service-drive, cost effectiveness, teamwork, communication and innovation. Download a copy

California pursues out-of-state placement (2006)

CCA contracts with the state of California to house 1,000 inmates in five company-owned facilities – the first time the state has contracted with a partnership prison company to house inmates out of state.

GI Jobs recognition (2006)

This respected magazine for men and women of our military transitioning into civilian employment names CCA one of the nation’s top 50 military-friendly employers because of our efforts to recruit from the military, policies for Reserve and Guard members called to active duty, veteran promotional programs and community involvement.

Forbes magazine distinction (2007)

Forbes magazine names CCA among the nation’s “Best Big Companies” for financial growth, corporate governance, accounting standards, management ability, innovation and leadership, and is ranked “The Best of The Best” in the area of “Business Services and Supplies” for business development and meeting the nation’s growing demand for quality corrections management services.

Continued national growth (2007)

CCA operates 66 facilities in 19 states and the District of Columbia with more than 75,000 beds and nearly 17,000 employees.

CCA’s 25th anniversary (2008)

CCA commemorates a quarter-century of service and innovation as the leader and founder of partnership corrections.

CCA names new President and CEO (2009)

CCA names Damon Hininger as the company's new President and CEO, succeeding John Ferguson, who is named Chairman of the CCA Board of Directors.