<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001295984-04-000016
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041028
<FILING-DATE>20041101
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041101
<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>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Pirate Capital LLC
<CIK>0001295984
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-14472
<FILM-NUMBER>041108447
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>200 CONNECTICUT AVENUE
<STREET2>4TH FLOOR
<CITY>NORWALK
<STATE>CT
<ZIP>06854
<PHONE>203 854 1100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>200 CONNECTICUT AVENUE
<STREET2>4TH FLOOR
<CITY>NORWALK
<STATE>CT
<ZIP>06854
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-10-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001016152</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CORNELL COMPANIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001295984</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pirate Capital LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 CONNECTICUT AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORWALK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06854</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11600</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.51</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1653300</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote 1</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.65</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1660100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote 1</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The securities beneficially owned by the Reporting Person are held directly by Jolly Roger Fund LP, a private investment partnership for which the Reporting Person serves as general partner, Jolly Roger Offshore Fund LTD, a British Virgin Islands international business company for which the Reporting Person serves as investment advisor and Mint Master Fund LTD, a managed account for which the Reporting Person serves as investment advisor (collectively, the &quot;Funds&quot;).  The Reporting Person is deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of the securities reported by reason of its position as general partner and investment advisor, as applicable, of the Funds, and its pecuniary interest in such shares (within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended) is a fractional interest in such amount.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of any and all such amounts in excess of such actual pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Pirate Capital LLC, By: Thomas R. Hudson Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-11-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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