Real Estate Activations, Acquisitions, Developments, and Closures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Bed	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Idle Facilities	Dec. 31, 2013 North Georgia Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility Facility	Jun. 30, 2013 Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility	Jun. 30, 2013 Dawson State Jail Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Marion Adjustment Center Facility Facility	Jun. 30, 2013 Marion Adjustment Center Facility Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 Marion Adjustment Center Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 San Diego Correctional Facility Facility	Sep. 30, 2012 Red Rock Correctional Center RenewalOptions	Dec. 31, 2013 Red Rock Correctional Center Facility	Sep. 30, 2012 Red Rock Correctional Center Through february 2014	Sep. 30, 2012 Red Rock Correctional Center During the first quarter of 2015	Oct. 31, 2013 California City Correctional Center Facility	Oct. 31, 2013 State of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation	Dec. 31, 2013	Nov. 30, 2013 Facility	Jul. 31, 2013 Correctional Alternatives, Inc.
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Consideration paid																						$ 36,500,000
Business acquisition transaction related expenses																						800,000
Purchase price, goodwill	16,110,000	11,158,000																				7,000,000
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets																						26,900,000
Purchase price, intangible liabilities																						7,900,000
Purchase price, net tangible assets																						17,700,000
Purchase price, deferred tax liabilities																						7,200,000
Number of beds at the facility	86,000					2,103	2,103		2,216	826	826		1,154		1,596			2,304			2,552
Carrying value of idle facilities						17,856,000		19,063,000		13,429,000		13,720,000
Operating Expense	1,220,351,000	1,217,051,000	1,158,269,000	6,800,000
Assets impairment	6,513,000				3,800,000
Lease termination expenses					1,000,000
Lease expiration date													Dec. 31, 2015
Amount invested to acquire property	93,187,000	60,492,000											58,100,000
Expected additional number of offenders to be managed by the company														1,000		500	500
Management contract, initial term														10 years
Management contract, number of renewal options														2
Management contract, renewal option term														5 years
Percentage of guaranteed occupancy under management contract														90.00%
Management contract term facility will revert to the state of Arizona														20 years
Capital improvements for certain physical plant modifications	30,376,000	77,233,000	89,008,000												18,500,000
Expected capital improvements cost for certain physical plant modifications															2,000,000
Maximum number of useful life in years															20 years
Lease agreement commencing date																			Dec. 01, 2013
Lease term																			3 years
Renewal options term																			2 years
Annual rent																			28,500,000
Rent increase percentage																			2.00%
Tenant improvements expenses																			10,000,000
Reimbursement period for additional improvements in excess of tenant improvements provided																			15 years
Total cost of the project																				$ 140,000,000