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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								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 497,809	$ 508,522	$ 490,294	$ 484,064	$ 482,193	$ 462,728	$ 449,929	$ 440,916	$ 1,980,689	$ 1,835,766	$ 1,765,498
Operating expenses									1,422,769	1,315,250	1,249,537
Operating income	$ 66,251	$ 71,095	$ 70,954	$ 73,264	$ 64,649	$ 64,419	61,712	$ 58,705	281,564	249,485	260,396
General and administrative									(127,078)	(106,865)	(107,822)
Depreciation and amortization									(144,572)	(156,501)	(147,129)
Contingent consideration for acquisition of businesses										(6,085)
Asset impairments							$ (1,600)		(4,706)	(1,580)	(614)
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,980,530	1,835,738	1,762,927
Operating expenses									1,422,083	1,314,736	1,248,953
Operating income									558,447	521,002	513,974
Operating Segments \| Safety
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,779,958	1,675,998	1,648,224
Operating expenses									1,304,121	1,222,418	1,185,621
Operating income									475,837	453,580	462,603
Operating Segments \| Community
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									123,265	101,841	74,263
Operating expenses									95,159	76,898	51,501
Operating income									28,106	24,943	22,762
Operating Segments \| CoreCivic Properties
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									77,307	57,899	40,440
Operating expenses									22,803	15,420	11,831
Operating income									54,504	42,479	28,609
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Other operating expense									(686)	(514)	(584)
General and administrative									(127,078)	(106,865)	(107,822)
Depreciation and amortization									(144,572)	(156,501)	(147,129)
Contingent consideration for acquisition of businesses										(6,085)
Asset impairments									(4,706)	(1,580)	(614)
Segment Reconciling Items \| Other Revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									$ 159	$ 28	$ 2,571