Schedule of Calculation of Numerator and Denominator in Earnings Per Share (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	[1]	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS										$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 304,592
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes												(3,757)
Net income	$ 48,598	$ 50,676	$ 65,303	$ 57,277	$ 30,006		$ 57,546	$ 55,732	$ 51,738	$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 300,835
Weighted average shares and assumed conversions										117,785	117,312	111,250
Income from continuing operations										$ 1.90	$ 1.68	$ 2.77
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes												(0.03)
Net income	$ 0.41	$ 0.43	$ 0.56	$ 0.49	$ 0.26		$ 0.50	$ 0.48	$ 0.45	1.90	1.68	2.74
Income from continuing operations										1.88	1.66	2.73
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes												(0.03)
Net income	$ 0.41	$ 0.43	$ 0.55	$ 0.49	$ 0.25		$ 0.49	$ 0.48	$ 0.44	$ 1.88	$ 1.66	$ 2.70
Basic Earnings Per Share
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS										$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 304,592
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes												(3,757)
Net income										$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 300,835
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic										116,949	116,109	109,617
Diluted Earnings Per Share
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS										$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 304,592
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes												(3,757)
Net income										$ 221,854	$ 195,022	$ 300,835
Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted										116,949	116,109	109,617
Stock options
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Effect of dilutive securities										631	895	1,279
Restricted stock based compensation
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Effect of dilutive securities										205	308	354

[1] The earnings amounts in the fourth quarter of 2014 were unfavorably impacted by $27.8 million of non-cash impairments recorded to write down the book values of two of CCA's non-core facilities to the estimated fair values, as discussed in Note 5.