<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-03-008530
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031003
<FILING-DATE>20031007
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CORNELL DAVID M
<CIK>0001225209
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-14472
<FILM-NUMBER>03931902
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CORNELL COMPANIES INC
<STREET2>1700 WEST LOOP SOUTH
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77027
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CORNELL COMPANIES INC
<CIK>0001016152
<ASSIGNED-SIC>8744
<IRS-NUMBER>760433642
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1700 WEST LOOP SOUTH
<STREET2>STE 1500
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77027
<PHONE>7136230790
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1700 WEST LOOP SOUTH
<STREET2>STE 1500
<CITY>HOUSTON
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>77027
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CORNELL CORRECTIONS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19960604
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
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<periodOfReport>2003-10-03</periodOfReport>
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            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
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<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
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</securityTitle>
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</transactionCoding>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionShares>
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</postTransactionAmounts>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionPricePerShare>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionPricePerShare>
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</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare><value>16.65</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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</directOrIndirectOwnership>
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</transactionDate>
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</transactionCoding>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare><value>16.62</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
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</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>134169</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable></derivativeTable>
<footnotes></footnotes>
<ownerSignature><signatureName>David M. Cornell</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-10-07</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
