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		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 508,522	$ 462,728	$ 1,482,880	$ 1,353,573
Operating expenses	368,735	333,759	1,060,246	973,449
Operating income	71,095	64,419	215,313	184,836
General and administrative	(32,038)	(25,085)	(94,847)	(77,594)
Depreciation and amortization	(36,654)	(39,465)	(107,768)	(116,114)
Asset impairments			(4,706)	(1,580)
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	508,493	462,727	1,482,748	1,353,567
Operating expenses	368,514	333,629	1,059,833	973,011
Operating income	139,979	129,098	422,915	380,556
Operating Segments | Safety
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	457,817	422,313	1,332,545	1,240,019
Operating expenses	338,116	310,698	971,706	905,670
Operating income	119,701	111,615	360,839	334,349
Operating Segments | Community
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	30,848	25,133	92,120	74,651
Operating expenses	24,168	18,911	70,750	57,035
Operating income	6,680	6,222	21,370	17,616
Operating Segments | CoreCivic Properties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	19,828	15,281	58,083	38,897
Operating expenses	6,230	4,020	17,377	10,306
Operating income	13,598	11,261	40,706	28,591
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other operating expense	(221)	(130)	(413)	(438)
General and administrative	(32,038)	(25,085)	(94,847)	(77,594)
Depreciation and amortization	(36,654)	(39,465)	(107,768)	(116,114)
Asset impairments			(4,706)	(1,580)
Segment Reconciling Items | Other Revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 29	$ 1	$ 132	$ 6