The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) held its 2008 fourth quarter investor conference call last month. The private prison profitteers at CCA mentioned the company is suffering from the economic downtown that is facing other sectors. The most clear reason given was the budget discussions happening at the state level and the potential impact on CCA contracts.

Corporate officials were very careful not to disclose too much information in the call that could impact CCA's bottom line. Specifically, they refused to mention which states the company was in current discussions with regarding contracted capacity. We know that Texas is in the middle of it's legislative session right now. There is no doubt that CCA lobbyists are walking the halls of the state capitol in an attempt to protect it's current contracted capacity and influence any opportunity to expand private capacity at the state or local level.

On the investor call, CCA mentioned that the average compensated prison bed occupancy grew to nearly 83,000 beds in 2008 from 75,000 in 2007. Additionally, there was a 5.5% increase in average daily population of CCA capacity during 2008.

In materials relating to the call, CCA lists the facility it owns and operates in Texas. Those facilities are listed below.

Texas Facility Portfolio (as of December 31, 2008)

Facility Name

Primary Customer Design Capacity Security Level Facility Level

Compensated Occupancy 4th Quarter Bridgeport Pre-Parole Transfer Facility

State of Texas 200

Medium

Correctional

99.91%

Eden Detention Center BOP

1,422 Medium Correctional

108.05%

Houston Processing Center

ICE

905

Medium

Detention 94.89% Laredo Processing Center ICE

258

Minimum/Medium Detention

119.49%

Webb County Detention Center

USMS

480

Medium

Detention 112.04%

Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility

State of Texas

2,103

Minimum Correctional 95.32%

T. Don Hutto ICE

512

Non-secure

Detention

100.00%

Source: Corrections Corporation of America (Feb. 10, 2009)

In addition to CCA owned and operated facilities, the private prison company also contracts to manage facilities owned by the state of Texas -- another reason CCA lobbyists are probably running the halls of the capitol. Below is a list of those prisons as of December 2008.

Texas CCA Managed Facility Portfolio (as of December 31, 2008)

Facility Customer Capacity

Security Level

Compensated Occupancy 2008 4th Quarter

B.M. Moore Correctional Center

State of Texas 500

Minimum/Medium

99.74% Bartlett State Jail

State of Texas

1,049

Minimum/Medium 99.78% Bradshaw State Jail

State of Texas 1,980

Minimum/Medium

99.01% Dawson State Jail

State of Texas

2,216

Minimum/Medium 98.54% Diboll Correctional Center

State of Texas 518

Minimum/Medium 99.92% Lindsey State Jail

State of Texas

1,031 Minimum/Medium 99.69% Willacy State Jail

State of Texas

1,069

Minimum/Medium 99.82%

Source: Corrections Corporation of America (Feb. 10, 2009)

CCA officials also mentioned adding a potential customer in the Houston area this year. According to company records, CCA would contract with Community Education Partners to operate a non secure facility for a design capacity that is not clear. However, the alternative education facility is currently configured to house 900 juvenile detainees and could be expaned to accomadate a total of 1,400 juveniles.

According to the information above, CCA owns or manages over 13,200 beds in Texas. That is quite a number. We will keep you posted as CCA continues to update investors on it's profits.