Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts, Textuals (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	$ 1,512,000	$ 770,000	$ 2,132,000	$ 1,420,000
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, risk discount, low end of the range	0.00%		0.00%		0.00%
Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, risk discount, high end of the range	20.00%		20.00%		60.00%
Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, liquidity discount, low end of the range	0.00%		0.00%		0.00%
Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, liquidity discount, high end of the range	10.00%		10.00%		25.00%
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Unfunded Commitments	2,800,000		2,800,000
Investment Earnings, Net	11,700,000	10,100,000	21,700,000	19,100,000
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	$ 126,000	$ 253,000	$ 189,000	$ 254,000

Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, liquidity discount, high end of the range

No definition available.

Name:	sci_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsLiquidityDiscountHighEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	sci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, liquidity discount, low end of the range

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sci_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsLiquidityDiscountLowEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	sci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, risk discount, high end of the range

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sci_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsRiskDiscountHighEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	sci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with unobservable inputs, risk discount, low end of the range

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sci_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsRiskDiscountLowEndOfRange
Namespace Prefix:	sci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents investment income derived from investments in debt and equity securities consisting of interest income earned from investments in debt securities and on cash and cash equivalents, dividend income from investments in equity securities, and income or expense derived from the amortization of investment related discounts or premiums, respectively, net of related investment expenses. This item also includes realized or unrealized gains or losses on the sale or holding of investments in debt and equity securities required to be included in earnings for the period. It does not include investment income from real or personal property, such as rental income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sci_InvestmentEarningsNet
Namespace Prefix:	sci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of unfunded commitments for which the entity is obligated, to those certain investments for which net asset value per share is calculated (including by unit, membership interest, or other equity (ownership interest) unit measure) (alternative investments).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6A

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=SL6742756-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInvestmentsEntitiesThatCalculateNetAssetValuePerShareUnfundedCommittments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt securities, and OTTI losses on debt securities when the entity intends to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this item includes OTTI losses recognized during the period on investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8B

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=SL6284393-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration