<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-09-012224
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090225
<FILING-DATE>20090227
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090227
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PURYEAR G A IV
<CIK>0001244513
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16109
<FILM-NUMBER>09643827
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CORRECTIONS CORP OF AMERICA
<STREET2>10 BURTON HILLS BOULEVARD
<CITY>NASHVILLE
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37215
<PHONE>6152633004
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CORRECTIONS CORP OF AMERICA
<CIK>0001070985
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8744
<IRS-NUMBER>621763875
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10 BURTON HILLS BLVD
<STREET2>N/A
<CITY>NASHVILLE
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37215
<PHONE>6152633000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10 BURTON HILLS BOULEVARD
<STREET2>N/A
<CITY>NASHVILLE
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37215
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>PRISON REALTY TRUST INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19990517
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>PRISON REALTY CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19980924
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-02-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001070985</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CORRECTIONS CORP OF AMERICA</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CXW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001244513</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PURYEAR G A IV</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10 BURTON HILLS BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NASHVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>37215</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>CXW Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3555</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.41</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>46192</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>(1) Securities withheld to pay tax liability incident to vesting (upon satisfaction of certain performance-based vesting conditions) of a portion of restricted stock issued to the reporting person in 2006, 2007 and 2008.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Scott Craddock, Attorney In Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-02-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
