UNAUDITED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Mar. 17, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 Partnership	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues		$ 33,911,000	$ 43,025,000	$ 33,485,000	$ 43,327,000	$ 43,935,000	$ 47,889,000	$ 35,811,000	$ 39,996,000	$ 153,748,000	$ 167,631,000	$ 168,530,000
Operating Income (Loss)		(734,000)	12,806,000	10,124,000	14,873,000	7,761,000	16,238,000	5,810,000	13,478,000	37,069,000	43,287,000	37,735,000
Income from continuing operations		2,559,000	27,190,000	9,511,000	12,769,000	13,727,000	15,622,000	46,215,000	11,625,000	52,029,000	87,189,000	23,849,000
Loss from discontinued operations	(2,200,000)	0	0	0	(2,000)	(6,000)	(8,000)	(14,000)	(16,000)	(2,000)	(44,000)	(2,222,000)
Net income		2,559,000	27,190,000	9,511,000	12,767,000	13,721,000	15,614,000	46,201,000	11,609,000	52,027,000	87,145,000	21,627,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders		1,375,000	3,442,000	1,113,000	496,000	(1,534,000)	(2,267,000)	30,211,000	(2,382,000)	6,426,000	24,028,000	(13,064,000)
Basic earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.07	$ 0.17	$ 0.05	$ 0.02	$ (0.08)	$ (0.11)	$ 1.53	$ (0.12)	$ 0.32	$ 1.21	$ (0.55)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.11)
Net income (loss) (in dollars per share)		$ 0.07	$ 0.17	$ 0.05	$ 0.02	$ (0.08)	$ (0.11)	$ 1.53	$ (0.12)	$ 0.32	$ 1.21	$ (0.66)
Diluted earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.06	$ 0.16	$ 0.05	$ 0.02	$ (0.08)	$ (0.11)	$ 1.44	$ (0.12)	$ 0.29	$ 1.14	$ (0.55)
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.11)
Net income (loss) (in dollars per share)		$ 0.06	$ 0.16	$ 0.05	$ 0.02	$ (0.08)	$ (0.11)	$ 1.44	$ (0.12)	$ 0.29	$ 1.14	$ (0.66)
Gain on sale of joint venture interest					1,600,000
Gain on sale of joint venture interest, net of tax					1,400,000
Gain on sale of joint venture interest, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)					$ 0.06
Provision for credit losses					1,000,000	4,500,000	6,300,000	5,700,000
Provision for credit losses related to receivables, net of tax					841,000	2,400,000	5,100,000	3,600,000
Provision for credit losses related to receivables, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)					$ 0.04	$ 0.11	$ 0.24	$ 0.17
Reversal of provision related to receivables			1,800,000		1,500,000
Reversal of provision related to receivables, net of tax			1,500,000		1,300,000
Reversal of provision related to receivables, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)			$ 0.07		$ 0.06
Provision for credit losses related to management fees					2,900,000
Provision for credit losses related to management fees, net of tax					2,500,000
Provision for credit losses related to management fees, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)					$ 0.11
Number of commercial finance investment partnerships that owed management fees					3
Structuring and placement fee			2,000,000
Structuring and placement fee, net of tax			1,700,000
Structuring and placement fee, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)			$ 0.08
Restructuring charges									365,000		365,000
Restructuring charges, net of tax									234,000
Restructuring charges, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)									$ 0.01
Gain on sale of investment								54,700,000
Gain on sale of investment, net of tax								34,500,000
Gain on sale of investment, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)								$ 1.64
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments							2,300,000			214,000
Impairment charge on loan investment, net of tax							1,900,000
Impairment charge on loan investment, net of tax, per diluted share (in dollars per share)							$ 0.09
RAI [Member]
Revenues										76,575,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		3,000	(40,000)	(26,000)	43,000	(587,000)	36,000	(45,000)	39,000	20,000	557,000	(1,679,000)
RSO [Member]
Revenues										91,007,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1,187,000)	(23,708,000)	(8,372,000)	(12,314,000)	(14,668,000)	(17,917,000)	(15,945,000)	(14,030,000)	45,581,000	62,560,000	36,370,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RAI [Member]
Revenues		22,141,000	24,422,000	14,563,000	15,449,000	15,705,000	17,208,000	13,784,000	14,780,000	76,575,000	61,477,000	88,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)										9,283,000
Income from continuing operations										8,192,000
Loss from discontinued operations										(2,000)
Net income										8,190,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests										20,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders										8,170,000
Diluted earnings per common share:
Restructuring charges										0	365,000	0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments										214,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Revenues		14,996,000	23,786,000	21,647,000	30,578,000	33,041,000	35,669,000	26,262,000	28,726,000	91,007,000	123,698,000	95,986,000
Operating Income (Loss)										29,446,000
Income from continuing operations										46,453,000
Loss from discontinued operations										0
Net income										46,453,000
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests										7,221,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders										39,232,000
Diluted earnings per common share:
Restructuring charges											0
Other-than-temporary impairment on investments										0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Revenues		(3,226,000)	(5,183,000)	(2,725,000)	(2,700,000)	(4,811,000)	(4,988,000)	(4,235,000)	(3,510,000)	(13,834,000)	(17,544,000)	(15,456,000)
Diluted earnings per common share:
Restructuring charges											$ 0