Property and Equipment - Additional Information (Detail)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Facility Property Building	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Number of real estate properties owned | Property		76
Number of correctional and detention facilities | Facility		49
Number of real estate properties leased | Facility		8
Number of corporate office buildings | Building		2
Number of facilities owned by government partners, managed | Facility		11
Number of residential reentry facilities | Facility		25
Interest capitalization cost on construction in progress		$ 600,000	$ 5,500,000	$ 2,500,000
Depreciation expense		$ 165,800,000	151,400,000	114,000,000
Number of facilities subject to options | Facility		11
Number of facilities subject to options that are constructed on land which is leased from governmental agency | Facility		1
Ground Lease expiration year		2017
Expenses incurred on lease property		$ 103,000,000	$ 85,900,000	$ 9,100,000
Purchase price paid for real property in addition to bonds value	$ 100
ICE
Agreement notice period for termination		60 days
Third Party Lessor
Period to reach an agreement for continued use of facility from termination date		90 days
Lease termination penalty		$ 10,000,000
Payment amount					$ 70,000,000
Third Party Lessor | Preexisting Cottages
Operating lease term		4 months
South Texas Family Residential Center
Payments expected to be made under the cancelable lease		$ 242,300,000
Declining to zero by October 2020 | Third Party Lessor
Lease termination penalty		$ 0
Correctional And Detention Facility
Number of real estate properties leased | Facility		3
Residential Reentry Facility
Number of real estate properties leased | Facility		5
Elizabeth Detention Center
Operating lease, expiration date		Jun. 30, 2022
San Diego Correctional Facility
Operating lease, expiration date		Dec. 31, 2015
Development Authority Of Telfair County
Percentage of property tax abatement	90.00%
Percentage of property tax abatement, decrease in percentage	(10.00%)
Number of years of tax abatement	9 years
Principal amount of bond issued	$ 15,000,000