Schedule of Debt Outstanding (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 18, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 1,779,572	$ 1,809,517
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(12,168)	(12,766)
Unamortized original issue discount	(9,375)	(10,000)
Current portion of long-term debt	(38,914)	(39,087)
Long-term debt, net	1,719,115	1,747,664
Term Loan A Due in April 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	177,500	180,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(100)	(100)
Term Loan B Due in December 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	232,813	237,500	$ 250,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(3,800)	(4,100)
Unamortized original issue discount			$ (12,500)
Senior Notes 4.625% Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	350,000	350,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(1,300)	(1,500)
Senior Notes 5.0% Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	250,000	250,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(700)	(800)
Senior Notes 4.75% Due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	250,000	250,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(2,600)	(2,700)
Capital Commerce Center Non-Recourse Mortgage Note 4.5% Due 2033
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	20,606	20,934
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(300)	(300)
Lansing Correctional Center Non Recourse Mortgage Note 4.43% Due 2040
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	156,633	157,607
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(3,100)	(3,100)
SSA Baltimore Non Recourse Mortgage Note 4.5% Due 2034
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	143,020	144,476
Unamortized debt issuance costs	(200)	(200)
Revolving Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility Due in April 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 199,000	$ 219,000

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120520924&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_TermLoanADueInAprilTwentyTwentyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_TermLoanBDueInDecemberTwentyTwentyFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_SeniorNotesFourPointSixTwentyFivePercentDueTwentyTwentyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_SeniorNotesFivePointZeroPercentDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_SeniorNotesFourPointSeventyFivePercentDueTwentyTwentySevenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_CapitalCommerceCenterNonRecourseMortgageNoteFourPointFivePercentDueTwentyThirtyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_LansingCorrectionalCenterNonRecourseMortgageNoteFourPointFourThreePercentDueTwentyFortyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_SSABaltimoreNonRecourseMortgageNoteFourPointFivePercentDueTwentyThirtyFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=cxw_RevolvingCreditFacilityDueInAprilTwentyTwentyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: