Basis of presentation (Details)		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Country Region ARS / $ VEF / $	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) VEF / $	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Segment Country Region ARS / $ VEF / $	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) VEF / $	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 VEF / $	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) VEF / $	Mar. 31, 2014 VEF / $
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of operating segments | Segment					9
Number of countries in which the entity operates, within the five largest markets | Country		5			5
Number of regions in which the entity operates, within global markets | Region		3			3
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 169,600,000		$ 181,100,000	$ 169,600,000	$ 181,100,000	$ 181,900,000		$ 176,200,000
Accumulated other comprehensive losses related to Venezuela		863,700,000			863,700,000		891,900,000
Venezuela impairment charge			$ 800,000	34,500,000	0	34,500,000
Revenues		739,500,000		$ 760,300,000	1,461,300,000	1,536,400,000
Restricted cash		50,700,000			50,700,000		16,400,000
Accrued liabilities		377,900,000			377,900,000		401,200,000
Restricted cash held for customers		41,500,000			41,500,000		12,900,000
Short-term borrowings		77,200,000			77,200,000		32,600,000
Current maturities of long-term debt		$ 32,300,000			32,300,000		39,800,000
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities					13,400,000	42,600,000
Net cash provided by financing activities					22,700,000	11,300,000
Venezuela
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Official exchange rate | VEF / $									51
Foreign currency transaction losses						(18,200,000)
Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest					$ 2,600,000	$ (5,600,000)
Remeasurement rate | VEF / $		628			628			273
Rate decrease percent		57.00%			57.00%
Accumulated other comprehensive losses related to Venezuela		$ 112,700,000			$ 112,700,000
Carrying value of long-lived assets		8,600,000			8,600,000
Ireland
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenues							20,000,000
Severance costs					4,600,000
Property impairment charge					1,800,000
Losses associated with exiting operations					4,000,000
Additional restructuring costs		$ 5,000,000			$ 5,000,000
Argentina
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Official exchange rate | ARS / $		15.0			15.0
Minimum | Venezuela
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Official exchange rate | VEF / $				170		170				49
Maximum | Venezuela
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Official exchange rate | VEF / $				200		200				52
Venezuelan bolívar fuerte | Venezuela
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Amount approved to be obtained									$ 1,200,000
Net remeasurement loss					$ (4,600,000)
Nonmonetary assets		$ 16,400,000			16,400,000		13,500,000
Investment in Venezuela operations		20,400,000			20,400,000		26,000,000
Net monetary assets		2,800,000			2,800,000		9,500,000
Cash and cash equivalents		6,800,000			6,800,000		6,200,000
Accumulated other comprehensive losses related to Venezuela		112,700,000			112,700,000		113,000,000
Argentine pesos | Argentina
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		7,000,000			7,000,000
Losses from converting local pesos into U.S. dollars					100,000	$ 0
Argentine pesos | Minimum | Argentina
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Percent less favorable	30.00%
Argentine pesos | Maximum | Argentina
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Percent less favorable	40.00%
Venezuela Investment | Venezuela
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net payables to other Brink's affiliates		$ 8,800,000			8,800,000		18,700,000
Adjustment for Error Correction
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents							(16,400,000)
Restricted cash							16,400,000
Accrued liabilities							(12,900,000)
Restricted cash held for customers							12,900,000
Short-term borrowings							(3,500,000)
Current maturities of long-term debt							(3,500,000)
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities					195,900,000		208,800,000
Net cash provided by financing activities					$ 52,500,000		$ 49,000,000