CCA Recognizes National Correctional Officers and Employees Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – At Corrections Corporation of America’s (CCA) 64 facilities across the country, nearly 17,000 correctional professionals are responsible for providing care and services to more than 80,000 offenders and detainees.
National Correctional Officers and Employees Week, which runs May 3-9, 2009, recognizes their daily efforts – and those of the many thousands of men and women who work in public and private corrections in the nation’s detention centers, jails and prisons.
Officially proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, this time is intended to pay homage to correctional professionals’ “capable handling of the physical and emotional demands made upon them daily.” National Correctional Officers and Employees Week also acknowledges that “their profession requires careful and constant vigilance, and the threat of violence is always present. At the same time, these dedicated employees try to improve the living conditions of those who are being confined.”
“Corrections is a calling like no other,” said Rick Seiter, CCA executive vice president and chief corrections officer. “Corrections professionals are driven by a desire to make a difference, even amid considerable challenges. They are role models and mentors, serving communities and impacting lives.”
“Unfortunately, many misconceptions and stereotypes still persist about this profession,” added Damon Hininger, CCA president and chief operations officer. “I decided that a career in corrections was for me when I graduated from college, starting as a correctional officer and working my way through the ranks. And there are many other men and women in this field who, through the proper training and education, knew this was the right path for them, too.”
At CCA, correctional facilities function like small towns and require professionals in administration, health services, management, maintenance, offender programs, security and others areas to ensure seamless operations. They also provide rehabilitative services and programs to offenders to ensure they are equipped to reenter their communities successfully upon release. Academic and vocational education, addictions treatment services and a range of recreational opportunities are available to inmates at CCA facilities.
“We work maintain the security of our facilities, while also ensuring the safety of our inmates, treating them with respect and dignity, and providing the programs and resources for them to be productive citizens when they return home,” said Seiter.
Beyond performing a needed public service, corrections professionals with CCA also exhibit a strong commitment to community. They often volunteer for local events, raising funds for deserving charities and heightening awareness about important causes.
“Our professionals are invested in their communities,” Hininger said. “They understand the value of involvement, while each day helping our company realize our vision to be the best full-service adult corrections company in the United States.”
About CCA
CCA is the nation’s largest owner and operator of privatized correctional and detention facilities and one of the largest prison operators in the United States, behind only the federal government and three states. CCA currently operates 64 facilities, including 44 company-owned facilities, with a total design capacity of approximately 85,000 beds in 19 states and the District of Columbia. CCA specializes in owning, operating and managing prisons and other correctional facilities and providing inmate residential and prisoner transportation services for governmental agencies. CCA facilities offer a variety of rehabilitation and educational programs intended to reduce recidivism and to prepare inmates for successful re-entry into society upon their release. To learn more about CCA, visit online news site www.insidecca.com.