Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
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		$ 22.3	$ 21.5
Restricted stock based awards | Employees And Non Employee Directors
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic		2.0	2.1
Restricted stock based awards | Officers and Executive Officers, Performance-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Vesting description		CoreCivic has established performance-based vesting conditions on a portion of the RSUs awarded to its officers and executive officers that, unless earlier vested under the terms of the agreements, are subject to vesting over a three-year period based upon the satisfaction of certain annual performance criteria. The RSUs awarded to officers and executive officers in 2021, 2022 and 2023 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, 2021, 2022, and 2023 for the 2021 awards, December 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024 for the 2022 awards, and December 31, 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the 2023 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 2023, the RSUs subject to performance-based vesting criteria were increased by 106.9%; and were further increased 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, 2024 and 2025 have not yet been established, the values of the third RSU increment of the 2022 awards and of the second and third increments of the 2023 awards for financial reporting purposes will not be determined until such criteria are established.
Restricted stock based awards | Employees, Time-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Vesting description		Time-based RSUs issued to other employees, unless earlier vested under the terms of the agreements, generally 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 | Employees, Time-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.0
Vesting description	Unless earlier vested under the terms of the RSU agreement, approximately 1.0 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 accounting firm for the applicable fiscal year.
Subsequent Event | Restricted Stock Units
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 Units | Employees And Non Employee Directors
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.5
Subsequent Event | Restricted Stock Units | Officers and Executive Officers, Performance-Based
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	0.4
Vesting description	Approximately 0.4 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, 2024, 2025, and 2026, 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 Units | 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.