Summary of Business Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2011 GBP (£) Director £ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Property	Sep. 30, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) Person Facility Property Bed Detainee	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Property	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2013
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of beds | Bed				82,000
Correctional, detention and residential treatment facilities including projects under development | Facility				102
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders, number of individuals (more than) | Person				500,000
Taxable income to its stockholders equity				90.00%
Deferred income taxes and tax credits		$ 70,800,000
Deferred tax provision (benefit)		29,300,000	$ 16,800,000	$ (13,126,000)	$ 86,380,000	$ 11,221,000
Cash and cash equivalents		506,491,000		$ 95,073,000	506,491,000	283,524,000
Minimum period for payment receivable in arrears for services				30 days
Maximum period for payment receivable in arrears for services				60 days
Federal and state income tax overpayments		10,800,000		$ 11,300,000	10,800,000
Inventory, net		9,000,000.0		20,700,000	9,000,000.0
Assets Held for Sale		7,877,000		480,000	7,877,000
Impairment charge				0	0	$ 5,700,000
Discount rate utilized to adjust cash flow						10.00%
Goodwill impairment charge				0	0	$ 21,146,000
Impairment of indefinite lived intangible assets				0
Capitalized computer software, net		10,900,000		9,900,000	10,900,000
Deferred debt issuance cost, accumulated amortization		18,600,000		44,100,000	18,600,000
Debt issuance costs included in other non-current assets		$ 26,700,000		$ 32,500,000	26,700,000
Number of lease facilities | Facility				8
Rental income				$ 5,600,000
Partnership interest share amount | £	£ 100
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares	100
Value per partnership interest shares | £ / shares	£ 1
Directors appointed to board by each party | Director	3
Taxable income to shareholders							90.00%
General liability insurance maximum recoverage per occurrence				75,000,000.0
General liability insurance maximum coverage in annual aggregate				95,000,000.0
GEO care insurance maximum recoverable per occurrence				40,000,000.0
Deductible amount for general insurance liability				4,000,000.0
Deductible amount for hospital professional insurance liability				5,000,000.0
Deductible amount for worker's compensation insurance liability				2,000,000.0
Deductible amount for directors and officers insurance liability				2,500,000
Deductible amount for automobile insurance liability				1,000,000.0
Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				$ 0	$ 0
6.50% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2026
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		6.50%		6.50%	6.50%
Accrued Expenses
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Undiscounted reserves for workers compensation and general liability claims		$ 74,200,000		$ 79,000,000.0	$ 74,200,000
Kensani Corrections
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture				50.00%
GEO Amey
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ownership percentage				50.00%
Investment in joint venture				$ 8,700,000
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares	50
GEO UK
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture				50.00%
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares	50
SACS
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Life term of contract				25 years
Reduction of government guarantee in case of default				80.00%
Investment in joint venture		$ 10,300,000		$ 10,200,000	$ 10,300,000
Two Years Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of lease facilities | Facility				6
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract				2 years
Lessor operating lease expiration period				2023-06
Lessor, operating lease, option to extend				one additional one-year term
Carrying value of leased facilities				$ 48,400,000
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation				$ 22,300,000
Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of lease facilities | Facility				1
Lessor operating lease expiration period				2023-02
Carrying value of leased facilities				$ 2,000,000.0
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation				$ 600,000
Twenty Years Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract				20 years
Lessor operating lease expiration period				2041-10
Carrying value of leased facilities				$ 18,200,000
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation				$ 15,900,000
Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period				16 years 3 months 18 days
GEO Care
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property				1
Idle Reentry Facility
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property		2			2
Cornell Companies, Inc.
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Accounts receivable one year past due and still accruing				1 year
Foreign Subsidiaries
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 33,000,000.0		$ 19,700,000	$ 33,000,000.0
Ravenhall | The GEO Group Australia
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Facility, number of beds | Bed				1,300
Minimum
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders using technology products (in detainees) | Detainee				195,000
Minimum | Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period				3 years
Minimum | Technology
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period				7 years
Minimum | Building and Building Improvements
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life				2 years
Minimum | Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life				3 years
Minimum | U.S. Marshals Service
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expiration date				Feb. 28, 2023
Maximum | Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period				21 years
Maximum | Technology
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period				8 years
Maximum | Building and Building Improvements
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life				50 years
Maximum | Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life				10 years
Maximum | U.S. Marshals Service
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expiration date				Sep. 30, 2023