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ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS
1. ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS

Corrections Corporation of America (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “CCA”) is the nation’s largest owner 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 owns or controls 53 correctional and detention facilities, and manages an additional 13 facilities owned by its government partners, with a total design capacity of approximately 86,000 (unaudited) beds in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

CCA specializes in owning, operating and managing prisons and other correctional facilities and providing inmate residential, community re-entry, and prisoner transportation services for governmental agencies. In addition to providing the fundamental residential services relating to inmates, CCA’s facilities offer a variety of rehabilitation and educational programs, including basic education, religious services, life skills and employment training and substance abuse treatment. These services are intended to help reduce recidivism and to prepare inmates for their successful reentry into society upon their release. CCA also provides or makes available to inmates certain health care (including medical, dental and mental health services), food services, and work and recreational programs.

CCA began operating as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes effective January 1, 2013. In connection with this conversion to a REIT, CCA reorganized its corporate structure and began performing its correctional services and conducting other business activities through taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRSs”). A TRS is a subsidiary of a REIT that is subject to applicable corporate income tax and certain qualification requirements. The Company’s use of TRSs enables CCA to comply with REIT qualification requirements while providing correctional services at facilities it owns and at facilities owned by its government partners and to engage in certain other business operations. A TRS is not subject to the distribution requirements applicable to REITs so it may retain income generated by its operations for reinvestment. Consequently, income taxes recorded in 2013 are not comparable to those recorded in 2012 and 2011. See Note 11.