INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Components Of Income Tax Expense

Income tax expense is comprised of the following components (in thousands):

	For the Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011		2010
Current income tax expense
Federal	$	75,940		$	71,230	$	63,056
State		5,885			6,466		5,506
		81,825			77,696		68,562
Deferred income tax expense
Federal		8,576			17,167		24,035
State		(2,815	)		2,154		2,168
		5,761			19,321		26,203
Income tax expense	$	87,586		$	97,017	$	94,765

Components Of Deferred Tax Assets And Liabilities

Significant components of CCA’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, are as follows (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2012			2011
Current deferred tax assets:
Asset reserves and liabilities not yet deductible for tax	$	12,198		$	14,350
Net current deferred tax assets		12,198			14,350
Current deferred tax liabilities:
Other		(4,176	)		(2,582	)
Net total current deferred tax assets	$	8,022		$	11,768
Noncurrent deferred tax assets:
Asset reserves and liabilities not yet deductible for tax	$	24,392		$	21,145
Tax over book basis of certain assets		13,994			17,347
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards		8,843			9,095
Other		261			874
Total noncurrent deferred tax assets		47,490			48,461
Less valuation allowance		(2,655	)		(2,862	)
Net noncurrent deferred tax assets		44,835			45,599
Noncurrent deferred tax liabilities:
Book over tax basis of certain assets		(184,334	)		(182,084	)
Other		(27	)		(18	)
Total noncurrent deferred tax liabilities		(184,361	)		(182,102	)
Net total noncurrent deferred tax liabilities	$	(139,526	)	$	(136,503	)

Reconciliation Of Income Tax Provision At Statutory Income Tax Rate And Effective Tax Rate

A reconciliation of the income tax provision at the statutory income tax rate and the effective tax rate as a percentage of income from continuing operations before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010 is as follows:

	2012			2011			2010
Statutory federal rate		35.0	%		35.0	%		35.0	%
State taxes, net of federal tax benefit		1.0			2.6			2.7
Permanent differences		0.7			0.5			0.7
Change in valuation allowance		0.0			0.1			(0.1	)
Changes in tax contingencies		0.0			(0.1	)		0.0
Other items, net		(0.9	)		(0.9	)		(0.9	)
		35.8	%		37.2	%		37.4	%

Reconciliation Of The Beginning And Ending Amount Of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Interest And Penalties

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, is as follows:

Unrecognized Benefit January 1, 2011	$	98
Decreases from Prior Period Tax Positions		—
Increases from Current Period Tax Positions		—
Decreases Related to Settlements of Tax Positions		—
Decreases Due to Lapse of Statute of Limitations		(98	)
Unrecognized Benefit December 31, 2011	$	—
Decreases from Prior Period Tax Positions		—
Increases from Current Period Tax Positions		—
Decreases Related to Settlements of Tax Positions		—
Decreases Due to Lapse of Statute of Limitations		—
Unrecognized Benefit December 31, 2012	$	—