Schedule of Revenue and Net Operating Income for Each of the Three Segments and a Reconciliation to CoreCivic's Operating Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 449,929	$ 436,393	$ 890,845	$ 882,077
Operating Expense	320,539	307,897	639,690	623,200
Operating income	61,712	65,279	120,417	134,318
General and administrative	(27,538)	(26,417)	(52,509)	(51,243)
Depreciation and amortization	(38,560)	(36,800)	(76,649)	(73,057)
Asset impairments	(1,580)		(1,580)	(259)
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	449,927	436,376	890,840	881,985
Operating Expense	320,398	307,753	639,382	622,900
Operating income	129,529	128,623	251,458	259,085
Operating Segments \| Safety
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	413,208	408,781	817,706	827,464
Operating Expense	298,469	292,791	594,972	593,500
Operating income	114,739	115,990	222,734	233,964
Operating Segments \| Community
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	24,718	17,579	49,518	34,633
Operating Expense	18,757	11,979	38,124	23,994
Operating income	5,961	5,600	11,394	10,639
Operating Segments \| Properties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	12,001	10,016	23,616	19,888
Operating Expense	3,172	2,983	6,286	5,406
Operating income	8,829	7,033	17,330	14,482
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other operating expense	(141)	(144)	(308)	(300)
General and administrative	(27,538)	(26,417)	(52,509)	(51,243)
Depreciation and amortization	(38,560)	(36,800)	(76,649)	(73,057)
Asset impairments	(1,580)		(1,580)	(259)
Segment Reconciling Items \| Other Revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 2	$ 17	$ 5	$ 92

Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

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