Real Estate Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 18, 2016 Person	Jun. 10, 2016 USD ($) Bed	May 31, 2016 USD ($) Bed	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Bed Person	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Bed	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Bed Person	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Bed	Aug. 04, 2016 Bed Facility	Apr. 30, 2016 Bed
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed		112			89,300		89,300
Expenditures for facility development and expansions							$ 18,725	$ 112,548
Payment made to acquire residential reentry facility		$ 7,700
Lease expiration date		2020-06
Lease extension period		5 years
Operating Expense					$ 316,446	$ 318,035	630,364	618,697
CAI - Boston Avenue | New Contracts | Subsequent Event
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Lease expiration date	Jun. 30, 2018
Operating leases agreement renewal term	1 year
Number of one-year renewal options	3
Lease agreement commencing date	Aug. 01, 2016
CAI-Ocean View
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed											483
Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Expense					$ 1,800	$ 1,600	$ 3,700	$ 3,400
Trousdale Turner Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed					2,552		2,552
Percentage of guaranteed occupancy under management contract									90.00%
Amount invested to acquire property				$ 144,000					$ 144,000
Number of inmates | Person							1,680
Red Rock Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed				1,596					1,596
Expected additional number of offenders to be managed by the company | Person				1,000
Expenditures for facility development and expansions							$ 22,800
Red Rock Correctional Center | New Contracts
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed				2,024					2,024
Oklahoma Department Of Corrections
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed			2,400
Operating leases agreement renewal term			2 years
Lease agreement commencing date			Jul. 01, 2016
Lease term			5 years
Average annual rent			$ 7,300
Annual rent year five			$ 12,000
Kit Carson Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net Carrying Value					$ 59,300		59,300
Kit Carson Correctional Center | Subsequent Event
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of company-owned facilities | Facility										2
Kit Carson Correctional Center | Idle Facilities | Subsequent Event
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed										1,488
Maximum | CAI - Boston Avenue | Subsequent Event
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of residents to be housed | Person	120
Maximum | Red Rock Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Expenditures for facility development and expansions							38,000
Minimum | Red Rock Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Expenditures for facility development and expansions							35,000
Noncore Business | Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net Carrying Value				$ 5,100	$ 5,000		$ 5,000		$ 5,100