Real Estate Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, MMcf in Millions														3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 03, 2019 AdultDetainee	Jun. 28, 2019 Bed	Jun. 24, 2019 USD ($)	May 06, 2019 USD ($) ft²	Feb. 20, 2019 USD ($) Bed	Sep. 21, 2018 USD ($) ft² Option MMcf	Aug. 23, 2018 USD ($) ft²	Jul. 17, 2018 USD ($) Property	Jan. 19, 2018 USD ($) ft²	Sep. 15, 2017 USD ($) Bed Property	Aug. 01, 2017 USD ($) Bed	Feb. 10, 2017 USD ($) Bed	Jan. 02, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 ft² Facility Bed	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) Facility	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Facility Bed AdultDetainee Detainee	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Property	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Acquisition	Dec. 09, 2019 Bed	May 23, 2019 Bed	May 16, 2019 Bed	Jan. 24, 2018 Bed	Jan. 01, 2017 Bed
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate								$ 12,000		$ 8,700
Number of properties acquired | Property								12		4								15
Number of acquisitions | Acquisition																			4
Purchase price, net tangible assets								$ 11,100									$ 7,400		$ 20,100
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets								$ 1,900									800		1,800
Percentage of building leased								100.00%
Business acquisition assumed in-place financing																		$ 157,280
Operating Expense																	1,422,769	1,315,250	1,249,537
Asset impairments																$ 1,600	4,706	1,580	614
Proceeds from sale of corporate headquarters																$ 12,600
Proceeds from sale of property																	$ 4,295	12,911	970
Safety
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																	73,000
Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																	5,000
Idled Correctional Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility																	5
Idled Non-Core Facilities | Safety
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																	440
Number of facility | Facility																	2
Net Carrying Value																	$ 3,800
Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Expense																	$ 8,000	$ 8,200	8,900
Idle Facilities | Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																	381
Number of facility | Facility																	2
Net Carrying Value																	$ 6,500
Asset impairments															$ 4,300
Idled Residential Reentry Facility | CoreCivic Properties
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																	430
Number of facility | Facility														3			3
Net Carrying Value																	$ 9,300
Adams County Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Net Carrying Value																	$ 96,500
Contract expiration Date																	Aug. 30, 2019
Management agreement commencing date																	Aug. 31, 2019
Initial term of management contract																	60 months
Agreement notice period for termination																	120 days
Torrance County Detention Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																						910
Net Carrying Value																	$ 34,000
Management agreement commencing date																	May 15, 2019
Initial term of management contract																	60 months
Agreement notice period for termination																	120 days
Number of detainees cared for at facility | Detainee																	300
Eden Detention Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																					1,422
Net Carrying Value																	$ 37,000
Management agreement commencing date																	Jun. 01, 2019
Agreement notice period for termination																	30 days
Number of detainees cared for at facility | Detainee																	1,000
Kansas Department Of Corrections
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Lease term																							20 years
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																							2,432
Construction of new facility commencement description																	Construction of the facility commenced in the first quarter of 2018, and construction was completed in January 2020.
Construction project capitalized amount																	$ 137,700
Southeast Correctional Complex | Kentucky Department of Corrections
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Lease term																	10 years
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																				656
Net Carrying Value																	$ 20,300
Lessor, operating lease, renewal term																	2 years
Lessor, operating lease, existence of option to extend																	true
Date Idled																	2012
ICE | Adams County Correctional Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Maximum number of beds cared for adult male detainees | Bed		660
Maximum number of adult detainees allowed under contract | AdultDetainee	2,348
Number of detainees cared for at facility | AdultDetainee																	850
North Carolina and Georgia | Internal Revenue Service ("IRS")
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties leased | Property										1
North Carolina and Georgia | General Services Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties leased | Property										3
North Carolina and Georgia | Social Security Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties leased | Property										2
North Carolina
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price, tenant improvements																			$ 300
Detroit, Michigan
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate				$ 7,200
Lease expiration date				2028-06
Area of Building Acquired | ft²				36,520
Percentage of building leased				100.00%
Operating lease renewal term				6 years
Oklahoma | Idled Residential Reentry Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility															1
Arizona | Idled Residential Reentry Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility															1
Pennsylvania | Idled Residential Reentry Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed														430
Number of facility | Facility														3
Net Carrying Value																	$ 9,300
Area of facilities | ft²														54,000
Chester, Pennsylvania
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Carrying Value of Assets Dispositions			$ 3,100
Proceeds from sale of property			3,400
Gain on sale of assets			$ 300
Residential Reentry Centers
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed										230
Arapahoe Community Treatment Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																								135
Purchase price of real estate													$ 5,500
Stockton Female Community Corrections Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed												100
Purchase price of real estate												$ 1,600
Lease expiration date												2021-04
Lease extension period												5 years
New Beginnings Treatment Center, Inc.
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed											92
Purchase price of real estate											$ 6,400
Capital Commerce Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate									$ 44,700
Purchase price, net tangible assets									40,600
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets									$ 3,200
Area of Building Acquired | ft²									261,000
Percentage of building leased									98.00%
Capital Commerce Center | Florida
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Percentage of building leased									87.00%
Social Security Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate							$ 242,000
Purchase price, net tangible assets							207,400
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets							$ 38,900
Area of Building Acquired | ft²							541,000
Lease term							20 years
Lease term expiration date							Jan. 31, 2034
Business acquisition assumed in-place financing							$ 157,300
National Archives And Records Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate						$ 6,900
Purchase price, net tangible assets						6,900
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets						$ 700
Area of Building Acquired | ft²						217,000
Percentage of building leased						100.00%
Lease term expiration date						Jan. 31, 2023
Additional ten year renewal options | Option						2
Renewal of contract terms						10 years
Volume of storage space | MMcf						1.2
Percentage of storage space						90.00%
South Raleigh Reentry Center | Raleigh, North Carolina
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed					60
Purchase price of real estate					$ 900