By Damon Hininger, Chief Executive Officer, CoreCivic

In 2014, CoreCivic renewed its mission and vision, charting a new path directed at reentry. I shared then that CoreCivic's mission would shift to more narrowly focus on supporting the reentry efforts of those in our care.

When we talk about reentry, we mean helping people prepare for life beyond incarceration. This includes education and vocational training, faith-based programming, and treatment for substance use—delivered by CoreCivic's dedicated team of teachers, counselors, chaplains, and other reentry professionals.

Recidivism is one of the toughest challenges facing America's criminal justice system. In 2014, we realized that CoreCivic needed to be part of a greater solution to reduce recidivism. And we knew that to make meaningful progress, we needed to set bigger goals to advance reentry success.

I am proud to share that we've followed through on our commitment these past 10 years.

More than numbers, this progress represents people in our care who—we sincerely hope—have gained renewed opportunity and a better path forward outside incarceration.

Looking Ahead

Yet, what can be more exciting than celebrating progress is the eager anticipation for what's ahead. For years, CoreCivic has dedicated resources to transform many of our facilities through the process of normalization, including designing daily routines and environments that mirror the free world as much as possible for those in our care.

Normalization is making way for more welcoming spaces within our facilities, using upgraded furnishings and trauma-informed color palettes, and improving visitation experiences, especially for families. We know that when people maintain positive relationships—especially parents and children—their chances of reintegrating successfully are much greater.

Furthermore, seeking advanced technology is critical for our company's future, not only within our security, but for residents who are enrolled in reentry programming. For example, CoreCivic's Go Further Discovery platform is a custom-built learning management system that delivers digital education and self-improvement tools via laptops and tablets. From academic basics to entrepreneurship and faith-based modules, it meets people where they are and adapts to different learning styles and goals.

Normalization and advanced technology adoption are two future-looking visions for our company that I am confident will help us achieve many more reentry goals.

Since CoreCivic's inception in 1983, we have been dedicated to meeting and serving the needs of our government partners. We are excited to celebrate these past 10 years of dedicated service to reentry, and we remain focused on our future as we help those in CoreCivic's care rebuild their lives and restore their future for the better.