OPERATING SEGMENTS (Summarized Operating Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 43,025	$ 47,889	$ 119,837	$ 123,696
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	1,384	2,938	2,528	2,882
Segment operating expenses	(25,493)	(19,976)	(70,116)	(61,373)
Restructuring expenses				(365)
General and administrative expenses	(2,505)	(2,530)	(6,807)	(7,564)
Provision for credit losses	(1,808)	(6,336)	(3,793)	(14,996)
Impairment charges		(2,280)		(2,280)
Depreciation and amortization	(413)	(529)	(1,318)	(1,592)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		(140)		54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(530)	(544)	(1,525)	(1,767)
Other income (expense), net	16,897	63	17,231	5,571
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(23,720)	(17,881)	(44,417)	(47,862)
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	5,453	(2,264)	8,878	45,936
Assets	2,443,511	2,488,458	2,443,511	2,488,458	2,636,764
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(5,183)	(4,988)	(10,608)	(12,733)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Segment operating expenses	4,861	4,950	10,178	12,589
Restructuring expenses				0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment charges		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(394)	(494)	(1,445)	(1,442)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(716)	(532)	(1,875)	(1,586)
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	24,422	17,208	54,434	45,772
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities			2,528	2,882
Restructuring expenses	0	0	0	(365)
General and administrative expenses	(2,505)	(2,530)	(6,807)	(7,564)
Provision for credit losses	(1,808)	(6,336)	(3,793)	(14,996)
Impairment charges	0	(2,280)	0	(2,280)
Depreciation and amortization	(413)	(529)	(1,318)	(1,592)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary	0	(140)	0	54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments	0	0	(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(530)	(544)	(1,525)	(1,767)
Other income (expense), net	128	29	400	6
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	15,950	11,292	39,443	31,929
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(23)	2,157	(334)	1,827
Segment operating expenses	(11,178)	(7,684)	(29,514)	(22,477)
Restructuring expenses				0
General and administrative expenses	(674)	(86)	(2,893)	(278)
Provision for credit losses	(29)	(83)	2,523	(238)
Impairment charges		(2,280)		(2,280)
Depreciation and amortization	(258)	(332)	(805)	(980)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	0
Interest expense	(209)	(215)	(613)	(641)
Other income (expense), net	249	128	719	405
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	36	(23)	30
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	3,839	776	8,837	5,470
Assets	177,314	169,649	177,314	169,649
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	8,502	6,083	15,234	15,378
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	1,437	947	3,105	2,591
Segment operating expenses	(3,547)	(3,909)	(7,769)	(11,282)
Restructuring expenses				0
General and administrative expenses	(282)	(602)	(604)	(1,814)
Provision for credit losses	0	0	(199)	0
Impairment charges		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	(13)	(23)	(49)	(89)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		(140)		54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(7)	0	(7)	0
Other income (expense), net	557	534	1,704	1,527
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	5,210	1,943	8,096	58,188
Assets	60,105	60,805	60,105	60,805
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(30)	(167)	(243)	(1,535)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	(30)	(166)	(243)	(1,536)
Segment operating expenses	(75)	(103)	99	(451)
Restructuring expenses				0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	(1,779)	(6,253)	(6,117)	(14,758)
Impairment charges		0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	0
Interest expense	1	(15)	0	(58)
Other income (expense), net	0	0	7	0
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(1,883)	(6,538)	(6,254)	(16,802)
Assets	8,747	15,497	8,747	15,497
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Segment operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expenses				(365)
General and administrative expenses	(1,549)	(1,842)	(3,310)	(5,472)
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment charges		0
Depreciation and amortization	(142)	(174)	(464)	(523)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	0
Interest expense	(315)	(314)	(905)	(1,068)
Other income (expense), net	(122)	(105)	(361)	(383)
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	(2,128)	(2,435)	(5,040)	(7,811)
Assets	(74,123)	(78,138)	(74,123)	(78,138)
Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	24,422	17,208	54,434	45,772
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	1,384	2,938	2,528	2,882
Segment operating expenses	(14,800)	(11,696)	(37,184)	(34,210)
Restructuring expenses				(365)
General and administrative expenses	(2,505)	(2,530)	(6,807)	(7,564)
Provision for credit losses	(1,808)	(6,336)	(3,793)	(14,996)
Impairment charges		(2,280)		(2,280)
Depreciation and amortization	(413)	(529)	(1,318)	(1,592)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		(140)		54,542
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			(214)	(74)
Interest expense	(530)	(544)	(1,525)	(1,767)
Other income (expense), net	684	557	2,069	1,549
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	36	(23)	30
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	5,038	(6,254)	5,639	39,045
Assets	172,043	167,813	172,043	167,813
VIE - RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	23,786	35,669	76,011	90,657
VIE - RSO [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	23,786	35,669	76,011	90,657
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Segment operating expenses	(15,554)	(13,230)	(43,110)	(39,752)
Restructuring expenses				0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment charges		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary		0		0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments			0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	16,607	0	16,607	5,464
Pretax income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(23,708)	(17,917)	(44,394)	(47,892)
Income (loss) from continuing operations excluding noncontrolling interest before taxes	1,131	4,522	5,114	8,477
Assets	2,271,468	2,320,645	2,271,468	2,320,645
External Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	41,641	44,951	117,309	120,814
External Customers [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	(5,183)	(4,988)	(10,608)	(12,733)
External Customers [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	15,973	9,135	39,777	30,102
External Customers [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	7,065	5,136	12,129	12,787
External Customers [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	(1)	0	1
External Customers [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
External Customers [Member] | Consolidated Entity Excluding RSO [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	23,038	14,270	51,906	42,890
External Customers [Member] | VIE - RSO [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 23,786	$ 35,669	$ 76,011	$ 90,657