Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)					9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2012 Venezuelan Operations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Venezuelan Operations [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Venezuelan Operations [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 US Dollar Denominated [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Bolivar Fuerte Denominated [Member]
Foreign Currency Translation [Line Items]
Revenues					$ 235,100,000
Venezuelan revenues as a percentage of total revenues					8.1
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Translation	5.3					5.3	4.3
Assets Net									65,700,000
Approved transactions limit per entity per month					350,000
Cash and short-term investments								400,000
Cash and cash equivalents	202,700,000	182,900,000	200,500,000	183,000,000					34,200,000
Brinks investments in Venzuelan Operations on an equity-method basis					$ 84,400,000