TheCCA360.com is a Web site intended to provide factual information about Corrections Corporation of America – from its quality private prison management services and programs, to its more than 17,000 employees that support the 66 facilities it operates.
Read first hand here stories and views shared by CCA employees and other citizens on the company and its impact in our communities.
It’s difficult to separate the facts from the reported myths about private prisons and CCA, especially if you follow some news accounts that rely on sources who are politically or professionally biased against the overall privatization of our nation’s prisons.
TheCCA360.com disputes the most common reported myths here.
360 TAKES
From the Spokesperson: Changing Opinions One Person at a Time
Posted Sep 25, 2008
A few of us from CCA recently spoke to nearly 100 residents in Pahrump, Nevada, introducing them to our company, on the heels of CCA being awarded a federal contract which enables us to soon break ground on a 1,072 bed detention center that we will own and operate in that community. The residents, unfamiliar with having a correctional facility in their town, naturally had wide-varying opinions as I shook their hands prior to making formal remarks. In the end, though, one citizen's comments were well-appreciated by me. "There are 40,000 people in Pahrump," he said. "39,500 are very glad you'll be coming here."
One retired union gentleman told me before our talk, "I don't like you. I don't want you here." I'm pretty thick-skinned, but that's still hard to hear (I'm in communications - I naturally want everyone to get along). I told him I respected his opinion and hoped my speech would clarify matters. Two hours later, he came up to me as I was packing my materials and said, "Well....I changed my mind." His immediate support made me even more proud of my company. His reaction isn't uncommon, though, because once the real stories about my company are shared, people do indeed come to respect and trust CCA. If we weren't operating safely and providing significant cost value to government, we wouldn't stay in business.
What I shared with the fine residents of Pahrump was that CCA brings three important elements to a community: Careers. Commitment. Community. All within a safe environment.
At the outset of the meeting, I tried to erode those negative stereotypes of the corrections industry. Once you make it clear that our prisons aren't like the harsh, dark, corrupt settings that are portrayed in TV and in the movies, people begin to relax. Then once you confirm that our prisons are indeed safe - some of the safest of any corrections system in the country, there are more sighs of relief.
Next, I shared that CCA brings promising careers with opportunity for leadership and professional advancement. I discussed the financial commitment we make by bringing an $80 million facility to the community with 230 jobs. Nearly $1 million annually in property taxes and $1 million in utilities will be paid by CCA. Unlike public corrections, private operators pay taxes on owned-property. These valuable tax dollars stream into the community to aid worthy taxpayer needs like education, health care and road infrastructure. And I discussed our deep commitment to the local community. CCA becomes a vibrant part of the town, volunteering time and donating funds to aid the well-being of the residents.
You may view a web page we created specifically to communicate with Pahrump residents that includes company information, economic benefits and career opportunities. It is www.correctionscorp.com/nevada.
I'm proud that we will be a part of the Nye County, Nevada community at the end of next year. We are eager to earn their trust.
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