Selected Quarterly Financial Information (Schedule Of Selected Quarterly Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Revenue	$ 439,693		$ 435,043		$ 432,803		$ 428,074		$ 432,200	[1]	$ 427,150	[1]	$ 409,899	[1]	$ 405,782	[1]	$ 1,735,613	$ 1,675,031	$ 1,628,893
Operating income	81,072		80,735		86,781		83,467		87,092	[1]	85,189	[1]	78,249	[1]	72,531	[1]	332,055	323,061	307,362
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes											(147)	[1]	(991)	[1]	734	[1]		(404)	3,612
Net income	40,522		39,240		42,418		40,330		43,705		41,964		36,618		34,906		162,510	157,193	154,954
Basic earnings per share: Net income	$ 0.41	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.37	[2]	$ 0.40	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.32	[2]	$ 0.30	[2]	$ 1.55	$ 1.40	$ 1.33
Diluted earnings per share: Net income	$ 0.41	[2]	$ 0.37	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.37	[2]	$ 0.39	[2]	$ 0.38	[2]	$ 0.32	[2]	$ 0.30	[2]	$ 1.54	$ 1.39	$ 1.32
Discontinued operations - revenue													(9,483)		(9,165)			22,906	41,580
Discontinued operations - Operating Income													1,606		(1,185)			(716)	5,317
Additional discontinued operations subsequent to the respective reporting period													(991)		734
Previously Reported [Member]
Revenue													419,382		414,947
Operating income													$ 76,643		$ 73,716

[1] The amounts presented for the first and second quarters of 2010 are not equal to the same amounts previously reported in Form 10-Q for each period as a result of discontinued operations. Below is a reconciliation to the previously reported amounts in Form 10-Q.

[2] The earnings per share amounts were favorably impacted by the reduction in CCA's weighted average shares outstanding resulting from share repurchases under CCA's share repurchase program.