Real Estate Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions						1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jul. 25, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2021 Properties	Dec. 23, 2020 USD ($) Properties	Jan. 02, 2020 USD ($) Properties shares	Jul. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) Bed	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) Facility Bed	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Facility	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 Properties	Jan. 24, 2018 Bed	Dec. 31, 2017 Properties
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net book value of property and equipment													$ 7,000
Asset Impairment Charges												$ 4,392	11,378	$ 60,628
Purchase price of real estate					$ 83,200
Aggregate Net Sales Proceeds											$ 9,300
Purchase price, net tangible assets					77,400
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets					$ 7,500
Net proceeds from sale of assets						$ 4,800				$ 1,500		157,680	$ 320,754	113,602
Number of properties acquired | Properties				28	28										14		14
Cash payments to acquire properties					$ 7,700
Debt assumed on acquisition of property					$ 52,200									52,217
Conversion holding period of operating partnership units					2 years
Operating partnership units description					one-for-one basis
Purchase price, tenant improvements					$ 4,900
Number of properties sold			1	42									5
Real estate investment property aggregate selling price				$ 106,500
Net proceeds after the repayment of debt				$ 27,800									$ 125,000
Net loss on sale properties, after recognizing tax protection payments													17,900
Net gain (loss) on sale of properties									$ 4,200	$ 1,100	2,300		$ 38,700
Number of real estate assets held for sale | Facility													2
Revenues												1,845,329	$ 1,862,616	1,905,485
Operating Costs and Expenses												$ 1,413,792	1,337,065	$ 1,406,376
CoreCivic Safety segment
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed								66,000				66,000
CoreCivic Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed								5,000				5,000
Other Assets
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Financing receivable,								$ 142,200				$ 142,200	145,000
Kansas Department Of Corrections
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Lease term																20 years
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																2,432
Construction of new facility commencement description														Construction of the facility commenced in the first quarter of 2018, and construction was completed in January 2020,
Revenues												2,500	4,500
Interest income												8,700	8,800
West Tennessee Detention Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net carrying value								19,581				$ 19,581	20,622
West Tennessee Detention Facility And Midwest Regional Reception Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Costs and Expenses											$ 3,500
Roth Hall Residential Reentry Center and the Walker Hall Residential Reentry Center [Member]
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net book value of property and equipment									5,800
Stockton Female Community Corrections Facility and Long Beach Community Corrections Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net gain (loss) on sale of properties									2,300
Stockton Female Community Corrections Facility and Long Beach Community Corrections Center | CoreCivic Properties
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net proceeds from sale of assets						$ 10,900
Idled Correctional Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility												7
Idled Non-Core Facilities | CoreCivic Safety segment
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net carrying value								$ 3,000				$ 3,000
Number of beds at the facility | Bed								240				240
Number of facility | Facility												1
Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Costs and Expenses												$ 9,700	$ 7,600	$ 7,300
Idle Facilities | CoreCivic Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net carrying value								$ 3,500				$ 3,500
Number of beds at the facility | Bed								450				450
Number of facility | Facility												2
Idle Facilities | West Tennessee Detention Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Costs and Expenses							$ 2,200
GRES
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | Properties					24
Class A Common interest shares issued | shares					1.3
Purchase And Sale Agreement [Member] | CoreCivic Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges									$ 3,500
Net proceeds from sale of assets	$ 900
Purchase And Sale Agreement [Member] | Columbine Facility | CoreCivic Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Gross Sale Price												$ 1,300
Net Book Value Of Properties								$ 1,200				$ 1,200
Asset Impairment Charges								$ 700
Purchase And Sale Agreement [Member] | McRae Correctional Facility | CoreCivic Safety segment
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Gross Sale Price		$ 130,000
Net proceeds from sale of assets		129,700
Net gain (loss) on sale of properties		$ 77,500