CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW) is a publicly traded company based in Nashville, Tennessee, that specializes in the ownership and management of correctional and detention facilities across the United States. Founded in 1983 as Correctional Services Corporation and later reorganized through a real estate investment trust merger in 2000, the company changed its name to CoreCivic in 2016 to reflect its expanded focus on broader community support initiatives. CoreCivic’s primary business involves the design, construction, financing, and operation of secure facilities under long-term contracts with federal, state, and local government agencies.
The company’s core services include the operation of correctional institutions for federal entities such as the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, as well as detention centers under contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Beyond secure confinement, CoreCivic manages residential reentry centers that provide work- and treatment-focused programs designed to assist individuals in transitioning from incarceration back to their communities. The company also offers consulting and facility management services, drawing on decades of operational expertise in security, healthcare coordination, and rehabilitative programming.
CoreCivic’s asset portfolio spans more than 50 correctional and detention facilities in 19 states and the District of Columbia, encompassing a mix of high-security prisons, medium- and minimum-security institutions, and specialized detention centers. The firm maintains strategic partnerships with government agencies to tailor facility operations to the unique requirements of each jurisdiction. CoreCivic’s geographic reach and diversified contract base help mitigate the operational risks associated with changes in legislation or policy at any single level of government.
Under the leadership of President and CEO David Garfinkle, who joined the company in 2016, CoreCivic emphasizes performance metrics tied to safety, security, and resident outcomes. The company’s Board of Directors is composed of individuals with backgrounds in law enforcement, corrections, real estate, and finance, reflecting its blended focus on facility management and public-private collaboration. CoreCivic continues to explore opportunities to expand its service offerings in community reentry, mental health support, and innovative facility design to address evolving public safety and rehabilitation needs.
