Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Vesting description		The RSUs awarded to officers and executive officers in 2020, 2021 and 2022 consist of a combination of awards with performance-based conditions and time-based conditions. Unless earlier vested under the terms of the RSU agreements, the RSUs with time-based vesting conditions vest in equal amounts over three years on the later of (i) the anniversary date of the grant or (ii) the delivery of the audited financial statements by the Company's independent registered public accountant for the applicable fiscal year. The RSUs with performance-based vesting conditions are divided into one-third increments, each of which is subject to vesting based upon satisfaction of certain annual performance criteria established at the beginning of the fiscal years ending December 31, 2020, 2021, and 2022 for the 2020 awards, December 31, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for the 2021 awards, and December 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024 for the 2022 awards, and which can be increased up to 150% or decreased to 0% based on performance relative to the annual performance criteria, and further increased or decreased using a modifier of 80% to 120% based on CoreCivic's total shareholder return relative to a peer group. Based on performance achieved for 2022, the RSUs subject to performance-based vesting criteria were decreased by 45.6%; however, the decrease was partially offset by a 120% modifier based on CoreCivic's total shareholder return relative to the peer group. Because the performance criteria for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2023 and 2024 have not yet been established, the values of the third RSU increment of the 2021 awards and of the second and third increments of the 2022 awards for financial reporting purposes will not be determined until such criteria are established.
Restricted stock based awards
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Fair value of restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic to certain of its employees and non-employee directors		$ 21.5	$ 21.8
Restricted stock based awards | Employees And Non Employee Directors
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic		2.1	2.7
Subsequent Event | Employees, Time-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.3
Vesting description	Unless earlier vested under the terms of the RSU agreement, approximately 1.3 million RSUs with time-based vesting conditions vest in equal amounts over three years on the later of (i) the anniversary date of the grant or (ii) the delivery of the audited financial statements by the Company's independent registered public accountant for the applicable fiscal year.
Subsequent Event | Restricted stock based awards
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Fair value of restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic to certain of its employees and non-employee directors	$ 22.0
Subsequent Event | Restricted stock based awards | Employees And Non Employee Directors
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.9
Subsequent Event | Restricted stock based awards | Officers and Executive Officers, Performance-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	0.5
Vesting description	Approximately 0.5 million RSUs with performance-based vesting conditions issued to officers and executive officers are divided into one-third increments, each of which is subject to vesting based upon satisfaction of certain annual performance criteria for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2023, 2024, and 2025, and which can be increased or decreased based on performance relative to the annual performance criteria, and further increased or decreased based on total shareholder return relative to a peer group.
Subsequent Event | Restricted stock based awards | Non Employee Directors, Time-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	0.1
Vesting description	Approximately 0.1 million RSUs issued to non-employee directors vest on the first anniversary of the award. Any RSUs that become vested will be settled in shares of CoreCivic's common stock.