<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-09-030529
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090521
<FILING-DATE>20090603
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090603
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Hininger Damon T
<CIK>0001410521
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16109
<FILM-NUMBER>09872108
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA
<STREET2>10 BURTON HILLS BOULEVARD
<CITY>NASHVILLE
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37215
</MAIL-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>2009-05-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001410521</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hininger Damon T</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>President &amp; COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>CXW Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-05-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2009-05-26</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8431</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.28</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20489</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>Insider reallocated all amounts held by insider in the CXW stock fund of the company's 401(k) savings plan into other plan funds.  In plan terms, the reporting person reallocated 37,390.3780 units of the CXW stock fund valued at $3.479 per unit, for a total value of $131,487.20.  This report reflects the disposition of 8,431 shares of CXW stock at a price of $15.28.  The number of shares reported as disposed of represents the number of shares reported in the insider's most recent prior Form 4, dated 2/25/2009, as held through the CXW stock fund in the company's 401(k) savings plan, which was based on the share equivalent holdings for the insider as of the most recent plan statement date prior to that filing.  The reported price of 15.28 represents the closing price of CXW common stock on the transaction date.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Scott Craddock, Attorney in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
