CoreCivic
 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| NYSE: CXW S&P 600 component | |
| Industry | Private prisons |
| Founded | January 28, 1983, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Founders | Thomas W. Beasley T. Don Hutto Robert Crants |
| Headquarters | Brentwood, Tennessee , U.S. |
Area served | United States |
Key people |
|
| Revenue |  $ 1.981 billion |
| $281.56 million | |
| $188.89 million | |
| Total assets | $3.792 billion |
| Total equity | $1.377 billion |
Number of employees | 14,075 (2019) |
| Website | www |
CoreCivic, Inc., previously known as the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), is a publicly listed entity specializing in the ownership and operation of private correctional and detention facilities, many of which function under concession agreements. Established in 1983 in Nashville, Tennessee, the company was founded by entrepreneurs Thomas W. Beasley, Robert Crants, and T. Don Hutto. Early financial support came from notable sources including the Tennessee Valley Authority, Vanderbilt University, and Jack C. Massey, the founder of HCA Healthcare.
By 2024, CoreCivic stands as the second-largest private corrections firm in the United States and holds the largest portfolio of partnership-based correctional, detention, and residential reentry facilities nationwide. The organization oversees more than 65 facilities at state and federal levels, with a combined bed capacity surpassing 76,000 across 19 states plus the District of Columbia.
The firm's revenue hit $1.7 billion in 2012, with federal contracts representing as much as 51% by 2015; at that time, it managed 22 federal institutions housing over 25,000 inmates. By 2016, CoreCivic together with its chief competitor GEO Group operated upwards of 170 prisons and detention centers collectively, with CoreCivic alone generating $1.79 billion in revenue.
CoreCivic has been subject to considerable controversy due to cost-saving strategies like reduced staffing levels and vigorous lobbying activities. Amidst heightened industry scrutiny and public debate over private prison operations and their commercial models, the corporation rebranded from CCA to CoreCivic in 2016 to reshape its corporate identity.
History
The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) was established on January 28, 1983, in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas W. Beasley, Robert Crants, and T. Don Hutto. Beasley had served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, Crants was a real estate CFO, and Hutto was president-elect of the American Correctional Association. Maurice Sigler, an early board member and former chairman of the United States Board of Parole, also contributed to governance. Initial funding originated from Jack C. Massey, co-founder of the Hospital Corporation of America, alongside early support from Vanderbilt University Law School and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
A 2013 CCA-produced video credits Hutto and Beasley as leading founders who capitalized on Hutto’s corrections expertise and connections with federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). By late 1983, CCA secured its inaugural contract with the U.S. Department of Justice to design, finance, build, and operate a secure detention center for undocumented immigrants in Texas—effectively initiating the private prison sector. The company rapidly converted a Houston motel into a detention facility staffed primarily by acquaintances and family members, processing its first detainees in January 1984.
In 1984, CCA launched its initial facility—the Houston Processing Center—to detain individuals awaiting immigration rulings. That same year it began managing Memphis’s Tall Trees juvenile facility and subsequently constructed the Shelby Training Center for juvenile males in 1986. Expansion continued with the opening of New Mexico Women’s Correctional Facility in Grants in 1989, which offered 204 beds.
Internationally during the 1980s, CCA explored potential ventures in France but did not secure contracts there. Domestically, it inaugurated its first medium-security private prison at Louisiana’s state-owned Winn Correctional Center in 1990. Two years later in 1992, CCA commenced operation of the Leavenworth Detention Center under contract with the U.S. Marshals Service—its first maximum-security federal facility.
Also in 1992, CCA entered the United Kingdom market through a joint venture forming UK Detention Services; it opened Blackenhurst prison in Worcestershire with a capacity for 650 inmates.
The company’s shareholders are predominantly institutional investors; it is structured as a real estate investment trust (REIT). Research from 2007 identified key stakeholders including RS Investments, Wesley Capital Management, and Capital Research and Management.
In 2010, the American Civil Liberties Union filed litigation concerning understaffing at CCA’s Idaho Correctional Center (ICC), which led to an FBI inquiry in 2014 investigating potential federal offenses related to falsified staffing records.
During the Obama administration in 2016, CCA was awarded a $1 billion no-bid contract to detain Central American asylum seekers. Later that year, reflecting shifts in corporate strategy and market positioning amid ongoing controversies surrounding private incarceration practices, CCA rebranded itself as CoreCivic.
Overview
Established in 1983, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) owns and manages correctional institutions through agreements with federal, state, and local authorities. The company is responsible for the design, construction, administration, and operation of prisons and detention centers serving the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as numerous state and county agencies.
CCA accommodates roughly 90,000 inmates across more than 60 locations and employs upwards of 17,000 personnel nationwide. In 2015, federal contracts represented as much as 51% of the company’s revenue, with 22 federal facilities providing capacity for 25,851 detainees.
Approximately 90% of CCA’s institutions have earned accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA), which ensures adherence to national correctional standards through comprehensive audits and assessments.
On August 18, 2016, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates revealed the Department of Justice’s intention to terminate contracts with private prison operators. This decision was grounded in evidence indicating that privately managed facilities were less secure and effective than their federal counterparts and failed to deliver equivalent rehabilitative programs or cost efficiencies. This policy change significantly affected CCA’s business by limiting its federal contracting opportunities.
Inmate rehabilitation
Reentry and rehabilitation initiatives within the U.S. correctional system encompass education, vocational training, addiction recovery programs, and faith-based activities—all critical components of inmate rehabilitation. CCA offers inmates access to basic adult education, higher education courses, GRE preparation, and literacy instruction. Nonetheless, a 2008 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 40% of privately operated facilities lacked such programs. Studies demonstrate that educational and vocational training contribute to lowering recidivism rates.
In 1993, CCA introduced the LifeLine substance abuse treatment program at the Metro-Davidson County Detention Facility in Nashville; by the early 2000s, this program was implemented in 23 out of CCA’s 60 facilities.
Occupancy and profitability
A Prudential Securities report from the 1990s underscored that profitability is adversely affected by low occupancy levels and stressed the necessity of increasing inmate populations in new prisons to enhance financial returns.
In 2011, responding to Ohio’s cost-reduction efforts coupled with an expansion in bed capacity, CCA acquired the Lake Erie Correctional Institution for $72.7 million—a departure from its typical approach of constructing new prisons. This purchase was contingent upon a guaranteed high occupancy rate from Ohio’s Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Meanwhile, Ohio encountered difficulties selling other prisons it had put on the market.
By 2012, CCA had proposed acquiring prisons from 48 states in exchange for long-term management contracts spanning two decades with a guaranteed occupancy rate of 90%. This approach attracted criticism for potentially promoting over-incarceration and elevating taxpayer expenses compared to state-operated facilities. Furthermore, CCA’s involvement with ALEC raised concerns regarding model legislation designed to secure consistently high prison occupancy levels.
In its financial report for the fourth quarter and full year 2024, CEO Damon T. Hininger forecasted growing demand from governmental partners following policy adjustments under the second Trump administration that relaxed limitations on contracts with private detention centers.
Employment matters
In 2002, CCA consented to disburse more than $152,000 in overdue wages to 96 women in Oklahoma who were denied jobs due to gender bias. An audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor revealed that female candidates, who were as qualified or better than the men hired, were turned away.
By 2008, CCA had earned a spot among the "100 Best Corporate Citizens," as named by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine. Additionally, the military publication GI Jobs acknowledged CCA as a commendable employer for veterans, placing it within the "Top 50 Military Friendly Jobs" list in 2010.
Nonetheless, in 2010, a federal court located in Muskogee, Oklahoma ruled that CCA had infringed upon employment rights by dismissing a shift supervisor who was deployed to Iraq. The court mandated payment of $53,000 in damages under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act.
From 2022 through 2024, Tennessee imposed fines exceeding $29.5 million on CoreCivic due to insufficient staffing across four correctional facilities. In 2023, Trousdale Turner Correctional Center recorded a turnover rate of 188%, with allegations of understaffing connected to an inmate's death lawsuit and a civil rights probe by the Department of Justice.
Ownership
As of 2017, CoreCivic’s stock ownership was largely concentrated among institutional investors including The Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and Fidelity Investments.
Immigrant detention centers
During the late 20th century, the private prison sector faced decline amid decreasing crime rates and growing criticism over privatization linked to incidents of escapes, violence, and substandard conditions. Speculative construction of prisons intensified competition and pressure to sustain high occupancy levels.
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which rebranded as CoreCivic in 2017, experienced a resurgence in the early 2000s driven by increased federal detentions of undocumented immigrants following 9/11, opening a new market segment. Between 2001 and 2011, CCA’s revenue surged by 88%, surpassing $1 billion annually from 2003 through 2011.
By 2012, federal contracts constituted about 30% of CCA’s income, including $546 million from the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Marshals Service. The company strategically engaged Republican lawmakers to shape immigration policies consistent with longstanding tough-on-crime and privatization agendas. By 2015, federal contracts had grown to represent 51% of total revenue.
In March 2017, the Trump administration announced intentions to increase immigrant detention capacity by over 450%, focusing particularly on facilities for women and children. This expansion raised mother-child "beds" near the border from 3,500 to 20,000—marking the largest growth in detention capacity since World War II.
Following public backlash over child separations at the T. Don Hutto facility, Williamson County, Texas terminated its Intergovernmental Agreement with CoreCivic in June 2018.
In 2017, combined revenues for CoreCivic and its competitor GEO Group approached $4 billion, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) serving as their principal client.
Looking ahead to 2025, CoreCivic revealed plans to reopen the South Texas Family Residential Center under a contract with ICE, providing space for up to 2,400 detainees.
T. Don Hutto Residential Center
Located in Taylor, Texas, the T. Don Hutto Residential Center operated under a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from 2006 until 2009, primarily detaining immigrant families, including minors. Due to widespread protests regarding substandard treatment, federal authorities discontinued housing families at this location in August 2009, transitioning to exclusively detain female individuals. The remaining families were transferred to the Berks Family Residential Center in Pennsylvania, managed by the Nakamoto Group. In November 2015, approximately 500 immigrant women initiated a hunger strike to protest prolonged detention conditions at the center.
Eloy Detention Center
The Eloy Detention Center in Arizona, managed by CoreCivic, reported fifteen detainee fatalities between 2003 and 2015, five of which were suicides, sparking demands for independent inquiry. In 2016, a measles outbreak affected no fewer than twenty-two detainees and was linked to unvaccinated staff members. Although detainees received vaccinations, convincing employees to confirm their immunity proved difficult, raising significant concerns about the facility’s health safety measures.
South Texas Family Residential Center
According to the Los Angeles Times, the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas housed 1,735 detainees at one point, including roughly 1,000 children. In April 2016, CoreCivic (previously Corrections Corporation of America) applied for a child-care license for this facility, which has capacity for 2,400 female detainees and their children. An inspection uncovered twelve deficiencies such as deteriorated playground surfaces and unsecured medical supplies; consequently, the license was withheld pending correction of these issues.
Laredo Processing Center
Since 1985, CoreCivic has operated the ICE facility in Laredo, Texas, which provides accommodation for up to 404 male and female detainees.
Houston Processing Center
This medium-security processing center in Houston is owned by CoreCivic and has been under its management since 1984. It can house up to 1,000 detainees of both genders.
Cibola County Correctional Center
The Federal Bureau of Prisons terminated its sixteen-year contract with CoreCivic at this New Mexico location in 2016 due to inadequate medical services and multiple inmate deaths. The medical unit had been non-compliant since 2014, resulting in official warnings and a prisoner uprising that led to two administrators being placed on leave. Later that year, the center reopened under a new contract with ICE.
In 2017, a specialized unit for transgender detainees was introduced; however, reports indicated ongoing issues with substandard medical care and mistreatment. This included the death of transgender woman Roxsana Hernández while in custody. In 2019, a transgender detainee reportedly endured a thirteen-day delay before receiving treatment for rectal bleeding and was subsequently diagnosed as HIV positive. The Department of Homeland Security criticized this delay as endangering both the individual’s health and public safety by increasing risk of serious complications and potential transmission.
Death of Alan Hershberger
On July 31, 2022, Correctional Officer Alan Hershberger was fatally attacked by inmate Gregory Thompson at Davis Correctional Facility during an inmate transfer. Hershberger had been employed since late 2021 and was assaulted with a "homemade weapon." A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Army Reserves, and National Guard, his death underscored operational hazards within facilities managed by the company. Thompson was serving sentences for first-degree murder and manslaughter at the time.
Colorado
In 2010, CCA shut down the Huerfano County Correctional Center located in Walsenburg, Colorado, and subsequently challenged a $30.5 million property tax bill from that year. The company referenced contract clauses that capped payments at $19 million for 2011 and $15 million annually thereafter. Additionally, the Kit Carson Correctional Facility in Burlington, Colorado, ceased operations in 2016.
Kentucky
By June 2013, Kentucky opted not to renew its agreement with CCA for the Marion Adjustment Center in St. Mary, bringing an end to thirty years of private prison management within the state. The Lee Adjustment Center in Beattyville, which had housed inmates from Vermont and Kentucky until a riot in 2004, was reopened by CoreCivic in 2018 under a state contract to alleviate overcrowding. The Otter Creek Correctional Center in Wheelwright was the site of a riot in 2001 and faced allegations of staff sexual misconduct, prompting Hawaii and Kentucky to withdraw their inmates by 2009. CCA closed Otter Creek in 2013; it later reopened as the Southeast State Correctional Complex under state control in 2020.
Minnesota
The medium-security Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Swift County, Minnesota, was closed by CCA in 2010 and remains unoccupied. Despite ongoing demand for increased correctional capacity within the state, neither the Department of Corrections nor the governor have supported leasing or contracting with CCA to operate this facility. In 2015, Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy publicly opposed private prisons, criticizing the concept of profiting from incarceration. A study conducted in 2018 determined that reopening the facility would be financially impractical.
Oklahoma
Constructed in 1998, the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, experienced a riot in 2004 and was closed by CCA in 2010 after losing its federal contract. As of 2017, the facility remained unused. Similarly built in 1998 near Texas, the North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre encountered riots in both 2000 and 2011 before closing its doors in November 2015.
In January 2016, Joe Allbaugh—known for managing George W. Bush's gubernatorial campaign and leading FEMA during Hurricane Katrina—was appointed Interim Corrections Commissioner of Oklahoma despite lacking prior corrections experience. His predecessor had resigned amid controversies over poorly handled executions.
Allbaugh initiated a lease agreement with CCA for North Fork and relocated state prisoners there from county jail work centers that were closer to inmates' families. This move to Sayre—located approximately 230 miles from Tulsa and 130 miles from Oklahoma City—posed challenges for maintaining family connections vital for inmate rehabilitation.
In May 2016, the Oklahoma Board of Corrections approved leasing the vacant Sayre prison with a capacity of 2,600 beds while simultaneously closing fifteen inmate work centers. The facility had been experiencing declining inmate populations since 2012 after California withdrew its prisoners.
Kansas
The Leavenworth Detention Center was closed at the end of 2021 when the U.S. Marshal Service chose not to renew its contract, following an executive order issued by President Joe Biden targeting private prisons.
Tennessee
Similarly, the West Tennessee Detention Facility ceased operations in late 2021 due to the same executive order and contract non-renewal decision.
Inmate treatment and supervisory challenges
In 2006, the death of a detainee at CCA's immigration detention center in Eloy, Arizona, triggered government probes that uncovered insufficient medical care endangering detainee safety. Subsequent fatalities resulted in additional critical evaluations. In 2009, the ACLU filed lawsuits against CCA and certain government bodies for withholding information about detention conditions. The Obama administration acknowledged that immigration facilities failed to report one out of every ten detainee deaths to Congress; two of these unreported deaths occurred at Eloy, which recorded nine fatalities—the highest number among federally contracted immigration detention centers.
In 2013, CCA conceded to falsifying approximately 4,800 employee hours over a seven-month period at Idaho State Correctional Center; a 2014 audit by KPMG uncovered over 26,000 hours of inflated billing. The governor of Idaho initiated a police investigation that was later assumed by the FBI, which broadened its inquiry into CCA’s operations across the country. Notably, Governor Otter had received $20,000 in campaign donations from CCA employees since 2003.
CCA also faced scrutiny for employing former officials from agencies it contracts with, illustrating a "revolving door" phenomenon. For instance, ex-directors of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Harley Lappin and J. Michael Quinlan, joined CCA following their departures amid controversies at BOP.
Following its acquisition of Ohio's Lake Erie Correctional Institution in 2012, CCA was penalized by the state auditor with fines exceeding $500,000 due to contract breaches and understaffing amid elevated violence and contraband problems.
In July 2017, CoreCivic was subject to federal lawsuits concerning its inadequate handling of a prolonged scabies outbreak at Metro-Davidson County Jail in Nashville. At least 120 inmates contracted the infection; complaints were met with alleged retaliatory actions. Ineffective laundry procedures contributed to the spread of the outbreak to courthouse personnel and their families. Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall revealed intentions to pursue control over the CoreCivic contract by 2020, while acknowledging potential difficulties. Hall is a former president of the American Correctional Association and previously worked as a CCA program manager; the ACA accredits CoreCivic facilities nationwide.
Separately, California leased the California City Correctional Facility from CCA to house state prisoners, providing employment opportunities for existing staff who comply with more rigorous state hiring standards and training protocols.
Lobbying activities
CCA’s lobbyists have played a role in shaping private prison legislation across states such as Texas, New York, Illinois, and Tennessee. Between 2002 and 2012, the company allocated $17.4 million toward lobbying federal entities including the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, the Bureau of Prisons, Congress, among others; this amount also included $1.9 million in campaign donations.
From 2006 through 2008, CCA invested over $2.7 million lobbying for tougher criminal laws and mandatory sentencing policies aimed at increasing inmate populations. The company denies advocating for longer sentences and states that its efforts focus on educating policymakers about public-private partnership benefits without attempting to influence crime rates or sentencing guidelines.
In its SEC Form 10-K disclosures, CCA acknowledges risks associated with changes in law enforcement practices, leniency in sentencing, or decriminalization efforts that could diminish demand for its correctional facilities. Specifically, modifications in drug legislation or immigration enforcement policies could affect incarceration rates and facility occupancy levels.
Federal lobbying efforts are primarily concentrated on immigrant detention matters. In 2012 alone, CCA expended nearly $1.8 million lobbying Congress and federal agencies on issues related to homeland security, law enforcement practices, immigrant detention policies, and transparency regulations.
Litigation concerning gang control at Idaho prison
In 2010, the FBI launched an inquiry into CCA following an event at the Idaho Correctional Center where an inmate was reportedly assaulted to unconsciousness while correctional officers failed to intervene. Although CCA expressed concerns that releasing the footage could compromise security, the company cooperated with the investigation.
The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against CCA in March 2010, accusing the company of insufficiently protecting inmates from violence. By February 2014, a federal court ordered CCA to pay $349,000 in legal fees to the ACLU, and a settlement was reached aimed at enhancing prison conditions.
In November 2012, eight prisoners initiated a federal lawsuit alleging that CCA permitted gang leaders—namely Aryan Knights and Severely Violent Criminals—to wield influence within the Idaho Correctional Center. The Idaho Department of Correction reportedly housed gang members together as a strategy to minimize conflicts. In September 2013, a judge held CCA in contempt for failing to maintain adequate staffing levels, breaching the terms of the settlement. Following this, in October 2013, CCA was advised against renewing its contract; control of the facility reverted to the state on July 1, 2014.
Also in 2012, both current and former Lieutenants brought suit against CCA over their classification as salaried employees despite logging extensive overtime without possessing typical salaried managerial powers such as hiring or firing. After losing the case and paying a significant settlement, CCA continued this employment classification approach, justifying it as a cost-saving measure compared to paying overtime wages.
Collaboration with local authorities during school drug raid
In 2012, CCA partnered with local law enforcement to conduct a drug sweep at Vista Grande High School in Casa Grande, Arizona. Caroline Isaacs, program director for the Tucson branch of the American Friends Service Committee, criticized private prison company involvement in such operations due to potential risks posed to vulnerable student populations.
Deadly riot at Mississippi prison in 2012
A riot erupted in May 2012 at the Adams County Correctional Facility in Natchez, Mississippi, managed by CCA, resulting in one Corrections Officer's death and injuries to sixteen staff members and three inmates. During the disturbance, twenty-five employees were taken hostage before order was restored with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and Federal Bureau of Prisons. The company acknowledged this as its second employee fatality caused by inmate violence.
Violence and fatalities at Oklahoma prison
Violent incidents increased during 2015 at Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing, Oklahoma, including a June riot involving between 200 and 300 inmates that led to eleven hospitalizations. On September 13, a gang-related altercation caused four inmate deaths and four additional injuries requiring hospitalization—marking the deadliest event in Oklahoma’s correctional history. Following these events, CCA declined requests for interviews.
According to reports from the Oklahoma ACLU, private prison inmates file complaints at nearly twice the rate per capita compared to those in public institutions, citing concerns related to safety, nutrition, and medical treatment. In October 2015, Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections issued a "notice to cure" to Cimarron due to delays exceeding seven months in reporting use-of-force incidents, violating contractual requirements for timely disclosure.
Brady Henderson, director of the ACLU chapter, highlighted ongoing issues with secrecy and insufficient transparency within private prisons that hinder effective oversight. Despite these problems, Corrections Commissioner Joe Allbaugh confirmed continued dependence on private prisons because of overcrowding pressures: "They're our only relief valve available during this crunch."
In March 2016, illicit cell phone footage emerged revealing inmate violence inside Cimarron. In 2017, two correctional officers admitted to engaging in sexual relationships with male inmates; additionally, one female officer disclosed she had given birth as a result of such an encounter.
Unauthorized recording and transmission of attorney-prisoner communications
On September 7, 2016, Judge Julie A. Robinson of the Kansas City District Court determined that CoreCivic had unlawfully recorded telephone conversations between lawyers and their incarcerated pre-trial clients at its Leavenworth, Kansas facility. Defense counsel raised objections upon discovering that confidential meetings had been recorded despite prior assurances guaranteeing privacy. Robinson sharply criticized prosecutors for pursuing a contraband investigation amid what she described as a “horrendous situation,” and she approved a comprehensive inquiry funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, anticipated to incur expenses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Prosecutors explained that the recordings were inadvertently captured during an investigation into a contraband operation involving as many as 95 inmates and 60 external individuals. A grand jury subpoena led to the improper disclosure of attorney-client communications to other attorneys involved in the case, provoking concerns about violations of inmates’ rights. While the Federal Bureau of Prisons prohibits recording within attorney-client meeting rooms, CoreCivic maintained that silent video surveillance is a nationwide security standard.
In August 2016, Judge Robinson ordered an immediate cessation of these recordings. Although CoreCivic offered defense attorneys the option to disable recording during legal consultations, one defense lawyer reported ongoing unauthorized recordings despite promises to halt them. Barry Pollack, president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, condemned CoreCivic’s actions, underscoring that access to legal representation is vital for individuals facing incarceration.
These unlawful recordings prompted sentence reconsiderations; notably, Michelle Reulet was released nearly three years earlier after it emerged that CCA had shared recordings of her attorney meetings with prosecutors.
Oversight by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
In August 2016, Jeh C. Johnson, then Secretary of Homeland Security, announced an evaluation into the use of private detention facilities for undocumented immigrants following the Department of Justice’s announcement to phase out private prison contracts. By 2015, federal contracts comprised 51% of CCA’s revenue, with 22 federal facilities housing a total of 25,851 inmates. Nevertheless, in 2017 under President Donald Trump’s administration, both the DOJ and DHS continued contracting private prisons.
Contempt charges
In May 2016, CoreCivic was held in contempt for failing to adhere to a court directive at Idaho State Correctional Institution. To reduce expenditures and enhance profits, the company deliberately understaffed the facility and submitted falsified reports to create an appearance of compliance.
Investigative undercover reporting on facility mismanagement
In 2016, investigative journalist Shane Bauer went undercover as a corrections officer at CoreCivic’s Winn Correctional Facility in Louisiana. His reporting for Mother Jones exposed rampant inmate violence, inadequate medical care, poor management practices, and insufficient employee training. Bauer elaborated on these issues in his 2018 publication American Prison.
Allegations of forced labor in immigration detention centers
CoreCivic has faced litigation accusing it of enforcing forced labor within immigration detention centers by compensating detainees as little as $1 per day for maintenance work. The Southern Poverty Law Center initiated a class-action lawsuit in 2018 representing detainees at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, accusing CoreCivic of exploiting forced labor to increase profits and punishing noncompliance with solitary confinement and deprivation of basic necessities. This lawsuit was settled in 2023.
A related class-action suit filed in 2017 involved detainees at Otay Mesa Detention Center in California. This case was consolidated with Gonzalez v. CoreCivic Inc., expanding claims nationwide under Owino v. CoreCivic to include all detainees compelled to work under threat at CoreCivic-operated facilities since 2008. As of 2025, this litigation remains active.
Dismissal of employee linked to Neo-Nazi forum
In 2019, a data leak from the Neo-Nazi platform Iron March revealed user information, allowing some individuals to be identified. Travis Frey, who served as a captain at CoreCivic's Southern Nevada Detention Center, was uncovered as the Iron March member known as "In Hoc Signo Vinces." Frey had joined the forum in 2013 and made posts while working at CoreCivic's Indianapolis location. In January 2020, CoreCivic placed him on administrative leave and later ended his employment.
Allegations of stock price manipulation
CoreCivic reached a $56 million settlement in 2021 concerning a shareholder lawsuit that accused the company of inflating its stock value. Among the plaintiffs was Amalgamated Bank, which claimed losses amounting to $1.2 million dating back to 2016. The lawsuit also charged CoreCivic with running unsafe and substandard correctional facilities responsible for multiple fatalities and failing to reduce costs as promised. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger permitted the case to move forward based on internal communications within the company.
Involvement in wrongful deportation under false claims
In 2025, Charles Cross Jr., an employee of CoreCivic, played a role in falsely labeling a Venezuelan makeup artist—who is gay—as a gang affiliate, leading to the individual's deportation to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center during the Trump administration. Cross had previously been dismissed from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2016 due to a drunk driving incident but was hired by CoreCivic four months thereafter.
See also
Further reading
- Chen, Stephanie. "Larger Inmate Population Is Boon to Private Prisons." The Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2008.
- Hedges, Chris. "Profiting From Human Misery." Truthdig, February 17, 2013.
- Bauer, Shane. "My four months as a private prison guard." Mother Jones, 2016.