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- Definition

Percent of awards eligible to vest

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Performance criteria, cumulative period.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition.

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Value of share instruments newly issued under a share-based compensation plan.

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- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

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- Definition

Aggregate dividends declared during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

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Number of shares of common stock issued as dividends during the period. Excludes stock splits.

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- Definition

Date the declared dividend will be paid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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- Definition

Amount of paid and unpaid common stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash, stock and payment-in-kind (PIK).

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Amount of paid and unpaid common stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash.

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- Definition

Date the holder must own the stock to be entitled to the dividend, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

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The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

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- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

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The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

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Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

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Number of share instruments newly issued under a share-based compensation plan.

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- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

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- Definition

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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- Definition

The noncash expense that accounts for the value of stock or unit options distributed to employees as compensation.

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Stockholders Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 08, 2013	Apr. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	May. 09, 2013	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2003
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Closing price of common stock						$ 38.90
Preferred stock, shares authorized			50,000,000	50,000,000
Preferred stock, shares par value			$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Total intrinsic value of options exercised			$ 7,300	$ 12,300	$ 36,900
Ordinary Income
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Dividend declared per share	$ 6.647357
Return of Capital
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Dividend declared per share	$ 0.012643
2008 Stock Incentive Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized for issuance of awards							18,000,000
Number of shares available for issuance			10,300,000
Non-Employee Directors' Compensation Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized for issuance of awards								225,000
Number of shares available for issuance			200,000
Dividend Declared
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Dividend declared	$ 675,000
Dividend declared per share	$ 6.66
Dividend declared payment date	May 20, 2013
Dividend declared record date	Apr. 19, 2013
Special Dividend
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Dividend declared					$ 135,546
Dividend declared per share					$ 6.66
Number of shares of CCA common stock distributed pursuant to the special dividend		13,900,000
Maximum \| Special Dividend
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Dividend declared, maximum percentage of cash dividend		20.00%
Dividend declared, cash		$ 135,000
Restricted stock based compensation
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock and common stock units and stock options issued by CCA to certain of its employees			438,000	548,000
Fair value of restricted common stock and common stock units and stock options issued by CCA to certain of its employees			$ 17,500	$ 17,800
Unrecognized compensation cost			$ 17,400
Remaining period for recognizing the unrecognized compensation cost, in years			1 year 8 months 12 days
Allocated share-based compensation expense			$ 14,700	12,100	$ 9,800
Total fair value of restricted common stock and common stock units that vested			$ 13,900	$ 9,800	10,500
Restricted stock based compensation \| Officers And Executive Officers
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period			3 years
Performance criteria, cumulative period			3 years
Percent of awards eligible to vest			33.33%
Restricted stock based compensation \| Other Employees
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period, continuous service requirement			3 years
Restricted stock based compensation \| General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock and common stock units and stock options issued by CCA to certain of its employees			385,000	478,000
Allocated share-based compensation expense			$ 13,200	$ 10,700	8,600
Restricted stock based compensation \| Operating
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Restricted common stock and common stock units and stock options issued by CCA to certain of its employees			53,000	70,000
Allocated share-based compensation expense			$ 1,500	$ 1,400	1,200
Stock options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation cost			$ 100
Remaining period for recognizing the unrecognized compensation cost, in years			4 months 24 days
Term of options			10 years
Stock options \| General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Expense net of estimated forfeitures, relating to common stock options			$ 700	$ 1,900	$ 3,100
Stock options \| Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period			4 years
Stock options \| Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Compensation Cost [Line Items]
Vesting period			3 years