Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2024	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units remained outstanding and subject to vesting	3.3
Restricted stock based awards
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Fair value of restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic to certain of its employees and non-employee directors	$ 23.0		$ 22.3
Allocated share-based compensation expense	$ 6.1	$ 4.9
Restricted stock based awards | Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Increase Decrease in vesting percentage based on performance relative to annual performance criteria	0.00%
Increase Decrease in vesting percentage based on shareholder return relative to peer group	80.00%
Restricted stock based awards | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Increase Decrease in vesting percentage based on performance relative to annual performance criteria	150.00%
Increase Decrease in vesting percentage based on shareholder return relative to peer group	120.00%
Restricted stock based awards | General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Allocated share-based compensation expense	$ 5.5	4.4
Restricted stock based awards | Operating
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Allocated share-based compensation expense	$ 0.6	$ 0.5
Restricted stock based awards | Employees And Non Employee Directors
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.5		2.0
Restricted stock based awards | Employees And Non Employee Directors | General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	1.4		1.8
Restricted stock based awards | Employee | Operating
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock units issued by CoreCivic	0.1		0.2
Restricted stock based awards | Officers And Executive Officers
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period	3 years
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 2022, 2023 and 2024 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, 2022, 2023, and 2024 for the 2022 awards, December 31, 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the 2023 awards, and December 31, 2024, 2025, and 2026 for the 2024 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. Because the performance criteria for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2025 and 2026 have not yet been established, the values of the third RSU increment of the 2023 awards and of the second and third increments of the 2024 awards for financial reporting purposes will not be determined until such criteria are established. A portion of the RSU award granted to CoreCivic's chief executive officer in 2024 contains a single performance-based vesting condition that results in full vesting on the later of (i) the second anniversary of the award or (ii) the delivery of the audited financial statements by the Company's independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, if the performance criteria is met for the year ending December 31, 2025, or no vesting if the performance criteria is not met for such year.
Restricted stock based awards | Non Employee Directors
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period	1 year
Restricted stock based awards | Other Employees
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [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