Real Estate Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions			3 Months Ended
	Apr. 15, 2020 USD ($) Facility Bed	Jan. 02, 2020 USD ($) Property shares	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) Facility Bed	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2018 Bed
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | Property		28
Purchase price of real estate		$ 83,200
Cash payments to acquire properties		7,700
Debt assumed on acquisition of property		$ 52,200	$ 52,217
Conversion holding period of operating partnership units		2 years
Operating partnership units description			one-for-one basis
Purchase price, net tangible assets		$ 77,400
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets		7,500
Purchase price, tenant improvements		$ 4,900
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation			$ 1,540,249		$ 1,510,117
Operating Expense			362,315	$ 345,832
Impairment charge			$ 536
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			$ 3,700
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
Net Carrying Value			$ 9,300
Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Expense			$ 2,100	$ 2,000
Idle Facilities | Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility			2
Net Carrying Value			$ 6,000
Number of beds at the center | Bed			381
Idle Facilities | Community | Subsequent Event
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed	92
Number of facilities sold | Facility	1
Gross sales price	$ 1,600
Other Assets
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Financing receivable			$ 150,800
Construction receivable					$ 137,700
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,
Newly Formed Partnership
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | Property		24
GRES
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Debt assumed on acquisition of property			$ 52,000
Class A Common interest shares issued | shares		1.3
Percentage of voting control			100.00%
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation			$ 82,000