Schedule of Revenue and Facility Net Operating Income for Each of the Three Segments and a Reconciliation to CoreCivic's Operating Income Before Income Taxes (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 464,211		$ 471,194	$ 1,373,896	$ 1,390,483
Operating expenses	368,194		338,192	1,061,823	1,004,146
General and administrative	(30,194)		(34,600)	(92,808)	(97,358)
Depreciation and amortization	(31,931)		(33,991)	(96,218)	(100,787)
Shareholder litigation expense		$ (1,900)		(1,900)	(54,295)	$ (54,300)
Asset impairments	(3,513)		(5,177)	(3,513)	(9,351)
Interest expense, net	(20,793)		(20,653)	(65,381)	(62,303)
Expenses associated with debt repayments and refinancing transactions	(783)			(7,588)	(52,167)
Gain on sale of real estate assets, net	(83,828)			(87,149)	(38,766)
Other income (expense)	(71)		49	934	(107)
Income before income taxes	92,560		38,630	132,748	48,735
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	464,152		471,009	1,373,761	1,390,232
Operating expenses	368,114		338,091	1,061,564	1,003,864
Operating income	96,038		132,918	312,197	386,368
Operating Segments | Safety
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	423,186		431,534	1,253,788	1,261,183
Operating expenses	342,190		314,283	987,472	926,990
Operating income	80,996		117,251	266,316	334,193
Operating Segments | Community
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	26,379		25,535	76,269	74,122
Operating expenses	22,022		20,427	63,531	61,551
Operating income	4,357		5,108	12,738	12,571
Operating Segments | CoreCivic Properties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	14,587		13,940	43,704	54,927
Operating expenses	3,902		3,381	10,561	15,323
Operating income	10,685		10,559	33,143	39,604
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other operating expense	(80)		(101)	(259)	(282)
General and administrative	(30,194)		(34,600)	(92,808)	(97,358)
Depreciation and amortization	(31,931)		(33,991)	(96,218)	(100,787)
Shareholder litigation expense				(1,900)	(54,295)
Asset impairments	(3,513)		(5,177)	(3,513)	(9,351)
Interest expense, net	(20,793)		(20,653)	(65,381)	(62,303)
Expenses associated with debt repayments and refinancing transactions	(783)		0	(7,588)	(52,167)
Gain on sale of real estate assets, net	83,828		0	87,149	38,766
Other income (expense)	(71)		49	934	(107)
Income before income taxes	92,560		38,630	132,748	48,735
Segment Reconciling Items | Other Revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 59		$ 185	$ 135	$ 251