Real Estate Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands, shares in Millions, MMcf in Millions													3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 23, 2020 USD ($) Property	Sep. 15, 2020 Bed	May 26, 2020 USD ($) Bed	Apr. 15, 2020 USD ($) Bed	Jan. 02, 2020 USD ($) Property shares	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 ($) ft²	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) Bed	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) ft² Facility Bed Property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Bed	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Property	Sep. 30, 2020 Bed	Jan. 24, 2018 Bed
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate					$ 83,200						$ 12,000
Percentage of building leased											100.00%
Purchase price, net tangible assets					77,400						$ 11,100						$ 7,400
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets					$ 7,500						$ 1,900						800
Number of properties acquired | Property	28				28						12							15
Debt assumed on acquisition of property					$ 52,200											$ 52,217		$ 157,280
Proceeds from sale of corporate headquarters															$ 12,600
Impairment charge															$ 1,600	60,628	4,706	1,580
Proceeds from sale of property																$ 113,602	4,295	12,911
Cash payments to acquire properties					$ 7,700
Conversion holding period of operating partnership units					2 years
Operating partnership units description					one-for-one basis
Purchase price, tenant improvements					$ 4,900
Number of properties sold | Property	42										11
Real estate investment property aggregate selling price	$ 106,500
Net proceeds after the repayment of debt	27,800
Net loss on sale properties, after considering tax protection payments	$ 17,900
Number of real estate assets held for sale | Property																3
Net book value of property and equipment																$ 241,800
Deferred leasing costs and other assets																37,600
Revenues																1,905,485	1,980,689	1,835,766
Operating Expense																$ 1,406,376	1,422,769	1,315,250
Safety
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed																70,000
Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																5,000
CoreCivic Properties
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of previously leased properties | Property																2
Area of facilities | ft²																55,000
Net carrying value																$ 9,500
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			200													240
Number of facility | Facility																1
Net Carrying Value			$ 500													$ 3,100
Gross sales price			$ 3,300
Gain on sale of facility													$ 2,800
Idle Facilities
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Operating Expense																$ 7,600	$ 7,100	$ 7,700
Idle Facilities | Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Impairment charge														$ 500
Number of beds at the center | Bed				92												650
Number of facility | Facility																3
Net Carrying Value																$ 9,200
Gross sales price				$ 1,600
Tulsa Transitional Center | Covid-19
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																			390
Oklahoma City Transitional Center | Covid-19
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of closure bed | Bed													200
Turley Residential Center in Oklahoma
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of closure bed | Bed																	289
Henderson Transitional Center | Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the center | Bed																			184
Cimarron Correctional Facility | Safety
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of beds at the facility | Bed		1,600
Management agreement commencing date		Sep. 15, 2020
Initial term of management contract		3 years
Duration of unlimited extension option		24 months
Other Assets
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Financing receivable,																$ 147,500
Construction receivables																	$ 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,
Revenues																$ 2,600
Interest income																$ 8,400
GRES
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of properties acquired | Property					24
Class A Common interest shares issued | shares					1.3
Capital Commerce Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Area of Building Acquired | ft²												261,000
Purchase price of real estate												$ 44,700
Percentage of building leased												98.00%
Purchase price, net tangible assets												$ 40,600
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets												$ 3,200
Social Security Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Area of Building Acquired | ft²										541,000
Purchase price of real estate										$ 242,000
Purchase price, net tangible assets										207,400
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets										$ 38,900
Lease term										20 years
Lease term expiration date										Jan. 31, 2034
Debt assumed on acquisition of property										$ 157,300
National Archives And Records Administration
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Area of Building Acquired | ft²									217,000
Purchase price of real estate									$ 6,900
Percentage of building leased									100.00%
Purchase price, net tangible assets									$ 6,900
Purchase price, identifiable intangible assets									$ 700
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%
Florida | Capital Commerce Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Percentage of building leased												87.00%
Raleigh, North Carolina | South Raleigh Reentry Center
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Purchase price of real estate								$ 900
Number of beds at the center | Bed								60
Detroit, Michigan
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Area of Building Acquired | ft²							36,520
Purchase price of real estate							$ 7,200
Percentage of building leased							100.00%
Lease expiration date							2028-06
Operating lease renewal term							6 years
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
Oklahoma | Idled Residential Reentry Facility
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Impairment charge													$ 9,800
Oklahoma | Idled Residential Reentry Facility | Community
Facility Activations Developments And Closures [Line Items]
Number of facility | Facility																1