Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Feb. 14, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2021
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2021
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	CXW
Entity Registrant Name	CORECIVIC, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001070985
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		120,284,765
Entity Public Float			$ 1,245,279,447
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity File Number	001-16109
Entity Tax Identification Number	62-1763875
Entity Address, Address Line One	5501 VIRGINIA WAY
Entity Address, City or Town	BRENTWOOD
Entity Address, State or Province	TN
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	37027
City Area Code	615
Local Phone Number	263-3000
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MD
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Auditor Firm ID	42
Auditor Name	Ernst & Young LLP
Auditor Location	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the registrant's definitive Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, currently scheduled to be held on May 12, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.