Leases - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) Property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 24, 2018
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
ROU asset	$ 194,080	$ 108,118
Current portion of lease liability	$ 21,646	$ 26,914
Operating Lease, Liability, Current, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	us-gaap:AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term portion of liability	$ 144,769	$ 51,247
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	us-gaap:OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Weighted-average lease term of operating leases	6 years 3 months 18 days
Weighted average discount rate associated with the operating leases	6.20%
Future minimum lease payments	$ 201,015
Number of properties under lease held for sale | Property	3
CoreCivic Properties
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
Number of properties for lease to third parties and used by government agencies | Property	15
Company owned property and equipment	$ 449,600
Operating and finance leases latest expiration year	2040
Kansas Department Of Corrections
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
Lease term					20 years
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
ROU asset	$ 194,100	$ 108,100		$ 115,600
Current portion of lease liability	$ 21,600	$ 26,900
Operating Lease, Liability, Current, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	us-gaap:AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term portion of liability	$ 144,800	$ 51,200
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible List]	us-gaap:OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	us-gaap:OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Weighted average discount rate associated with the operating leases				5.30%
Operating lease expense inclusive of short-term and variable leases, exclusive of non-lease food services component	$ 34,900	$ 34,800	$ 30,700
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 | ICE
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
Agreement notice period for termination	60 days
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 | Third Party Lessor
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
ROU asset	$ 116,000
Lease agreement, Option to extend the term of agreement	CoreCivic's lease agreement with the lessor is over a base period concurrent with an inter-governmental service agreement ("IGSA") with ICE, which was amended in September 2020 to extend the term of the agreement through September 2026.
Non lease component for food services, rate of consideration paid	44.00%
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 | South Texas Family Residential Center
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
Future minimum lease payments	$ 165,300
Multiple Properties | Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Lessee Lease Description [Line Items]
Operating leases latest expiration year	2032