CoreCivic Policy Support 2.0

CoreCivic Announces Support for Pell Grant Restoration, Voting Rights Restoration and Licensure Reform Policies 

Expands Multi-Year Initiative Already Resulting in Nearly 2,000 Letters of Support for 66 Federal and State Laws Aimed at Reducing Recidivism

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – October 21, 2020 – CoreCivic (NYSE: CXW) today announced that it would publicly advocate at the federal and state levels for a slate of new policies that will help people succeed in their communities after being released from prison. Specifically, the company pledged its support for the restoration of Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals, the restoration of voting rights for the formerly incarcerated, and licensure reform to remove punitive measures that make it harder for the formerly incarcerated to find and keep jobs.

“With the legislative progress of the past couple of years, we believe now is the time to step up – not slow down – our commitment to programs and policies that reduce recidivism,” said Damon T. Hininger, CoreCivic’s president and chief executive officer. “Nothing motivates our professionals more than treating those in our care with human dignity and helping them succeed with the next step in their lives. Our company is playing a positive role that extends beyond our everyday work into pressing for broader changes that will make a difference in society.”

Detailed information about CoreCivic’s position on each new policy, as well as those the company has supported since first announcing its advocacy initiative, are available here.

Three years ago, CoreCivic launched an unprecedented effort to advocate for state and federal legislation aimed at reducing the rate at which formerly incarcerated individuals return to prison. This included support for Ban the Box, protections for employers who hire incarcerated individuals, boosting government funding for reentry programs, and social impact bonds. The company also pledged to disclose activities related to the effort, which it has done as part of formal ESG reporting. To date, CoreCivic has sent over 1,930 letters to federal and state officials in support of 66 bills that fit the criteria for the initiative. The company has even advocated for legislation in several states where it does not operate, demonstrating the depth of CoreCivic’s commitment to these issues.

“With only 8 percent of incarcerated individuals cared for in contractor-operated correctional facilities, it’s clear that companies like ours are not the driver of the serious and complex challenges facing our criminal justice system,” said Anthony L. Grande, CoreCivic’s executive vice president and chief development officer. “What our company is saying through our words, commitments and actions is that we are proving to be part of the solution. Now more than ever, it’s time to set aside politics, take advantage of the consensus around these issues, and show the American people that there are areas where we can all work together to make economic and social progress.”

As the company has repeatedly stated and made clear in public lobbying disclosures, CoreCivic has a long-standing corporate policy not to advocate for or against any policy that serves as the basis for – or determines the duration of – an individual’s incarceration or detention. The company’s government relations activities have historically involved educating officials about the value of partnership corrections, supporting partner agency budget and appropriations requests, and serving as an expert resource on various corrections and detention issues.