Variable Interest Entities	9 Months Ended
Oct. 02, 2011
Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES	10. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES The Company evaluates its joint ventures and other entities in which it has a variable interest (a “VIE”), generally in the form of investments, loans, guarantees, or equity in order to determine if it has a controlling financial interest and is required to consolidate the entity as a result. The reporting entity with a variable interest that provides the entity with a controlling financial interest in the VIE will have both of the following characteristics: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb the losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company consolidates South Texas Local Development Corporation (“STLDC”), a VIE. STLDC was created to finance construction for the development of a 1,904-bed facility in Frio County, Texas. STLDC, the owner of the complex, issued $49.5 million in taxable revenue bonds and has an operating agreement with the Company, which provides the Company with the sole and exclusive right to operate and manage the detention center. The operating agreement and bond indenture require the revenue from the contract to be used to fund the periodic debt service requirements as they become due. The net revenues, if any, after various expenses such as trustee fees, property taxes and insurance premiums are distributed to the Company to cover operating expenses and management fees. The Company is responsible for the entire operations of the facility including the payment of all operating expenses whether or not there are sufficient revenues. The bonds have a ten-year term and are non-recourse to the Company. At the end of the ten-year term of the bonds, title and ownership of the facility transfers from STLDC to the Company. See Note 11. As a result of the acquisition of Cornell in August 2010, the Company assumed the variable interest in MCF of which it is the primary beneficiary and consolidates the entity as a result. MCF was created in August 2001 as a special limited partnership for the purpose of acquiring, owning, leasing and operating low to medium security adult and juvenile correction and treatment facilities. At its inception, MCF purchased assets representing eleven facilities from Cornell and leased those assets back to Cornell under a Master Lease Agreement (the “Lease”). These assets were purchased from Cornell using proceeds from the 8.47% Revenue Bonds due 2016, which are limited non-recourse obligations of MCF and collateralized by the bond reserves, assignment of subleases and substantially all assets related to the eleven facilities. Under the terms of the Lease with Cornell, assumed by the Company, the Company will lease the assets for the remainder of the 20-year base term, which ends in 2021, and has options at its sole discretion to renew the Lease for up to approximately 25 additional years. MCF’s sole source of revenue is from the Company and as such the Company has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its performance. The Company’s risk is generally limited to the rental obligations under the operating leases. This entity is included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and all intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. MCF maintains separate financial statements and all of the assets to which MCF has title are included therein. It should be noted that even though the Company consolidates MCF for accounting purposes, this VIE is a separate entity owned by unrelated third parties. MCF’s assets and credit are not available to satisfy the debts and other obligations of the Company. The Company does not consolidate its 50% owned South African joint venture in South African Custodial Services Pty. Limited (“SACS”), a VIE. SACS joint venture investors are GEO and Kensani Corrections, Pty. Ltd; each partner owns a 50% share. The Company has determined it is not the primary beneficiary of SACS since it does not have the power to direct the activities of SACS that most significantly impact its performance. As such, this entity is reported as an equity affiliate. SACS was established and subsequently, in 2001, was awarded a 25-year contract to design, finance and build the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre in Louis Trichardt, South Africa. To fund the construction of the prison, SACS obtained long-term financing from its equity partners and lenders, the repayment of which is fully guaranteed by the South African government, except in the event of default, in which case the government guarantee is reduced to 80%. The Company’s maximum exposure for loss under this contract is limited to its investment in the joint venture of $9.4 million at October 2, 2011 and its guarantees related to SACS discussed in Note 11. The Company does not consolidate its 50% owned joint venture in the United Kingdom. In February 2011, The GEO Group Limited, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom (“GEO UK”), executed a Shareholders Agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”) with Amey Community Limited (“Amey”), GEO Amey PECS Limited (“GEOAmey”) and Amey UK PLC (“Amey Guarantor”) to form a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. GEOAmey was formed by GEO UK and Amey for the purpose of performing prisoner escort and related custody services in the United Kingdom and Wales. In order to form this private company, GEOAmey issued share capital of £100 divided into 100 shares of £1 each and allocated the shares 50/50 to GEO UK and Amey. GEO UK and Amey each have three directors appointed to the Board of Directors and neither party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the performance of GEOAmey. Both parties provide lines of credit of £12 million, or $18.7 million as of October 2, 2011, to ensure that GEOAmey can comply with future contractual commitments related to the performance of its operations. As of October 2, 2011, $9.9 million, including accrued interest, was owed to the Company by GEOAmey under the line of credit. GEOAmey commenced operations on August 29, 2011. The Company has recorded $1.1 million and $1.1 million in losses, net of tax impact, for GEOAmey’s operations during the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended October 2, 2011, which is included in Equity in earnings of affiliates in the accompanying consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income.

Variable Interest Entities

9 Months Ended

Oct. 02, 2011

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

10. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

The Company evaluates its joint ventures and other entities in which it has a variable interest (a “VIE”), generally in the form of investments, loans, guarantees, or equity in order to determine if it has a controlling financial interest and is required to consolidate the entity as a result. The reporting entity with a variable interest that provides the entity with a controlling financial interest in the VIE will have both of the following characteristics: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb the losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

The Company consolidates South Texas Local Development Corporation (“STLDC”), a VIE. STLDC was created to finance construction for the development of a 1,904-bed facility in Frio County, Texas. STLDC, the owner of the complex, issued $49.5 million in taxable revenue bonds and has an operating agreement with the Company, which provides the Company with the sole and exclusive right to operate and manage the detention center. The operating agreement and bond indenture require the revenue from the contract to be used to fund the periodic debt service requirements as they become due. The net revenues, if any, after various expenses such as trustee fees, property taxes and insurance premiums are distributed to the Company to cover operating expenses and management fees. The Company is responsible for the entire operations of the facility including the payment of all operating expenses whether or not there are sufficient revenues. The bonds have a ten-year term and are non-recourse to the Company. At the end of the ten-year term of the bonds, title and ownership of the facility transfers from STLDC to the Company. See Note 11.

As a result of the acquisition of Cornell in August 2010, the Company assumed the variable interest in MCF of which it is the primary beneficiary and consolidates the entity as a result. MCF was created in August 2001 as a special limited partnership for the purpose of acquiring, owning, leasing and operating low to medium security adult and juvenile correction and treatment facilities. At its inception, MCF purchased assets representing eleven facilities from Cornell and leased those assets back to Cornell under a Master Lease Agreement (the “Lease”). These assets were purchased from Cornell using proceeds from the 8.47% Revenue Bonds due 2016, which are limited non-recourse obligations of MCF and collateralized by the bond reserves, assignment of subleases and substantially all assets related to the eleven facilities. Under the terms of the Lease with Cornell, assumed by the Company, the Company will lease the assets for the remainder of the 20-year base term, which ends in 2021, and has options at its sole discretion to renew the Lease for up to approximately 25 additional years. MCF’s sole source of revenue is from the Company and as such the Company has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its performance. The Company’s risk is generally limited to the rental obligations under the operating leases. This entity is included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and all intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. MCF maintains separate financial statements and all of the assets to which MCF has title are included therein. It should be noted that even though the Company consolidates MCF for accounting purposes, this VIE is a separate entity owned by unrelated third parties. MCF’s assets and credit are not available to satisfy the debts and other obligations of the Company.

The Company does not consolidate its 50% owned South African joint venture in South African Custodial Services Pty. Limited (“SACS”), a VIE. SACS joint venture investors are GEO and Kensani Corrections, Pty. Ltd; each partner owns a 50% share. The Company has determined it is not the primary beneficiary of SACS since it does not have the power to direct the activities of SACS that most significantly impact its performance. As such, this entity is reported as an equity affiliate. SACS was established and subsequently, in 2001, was awarded a 25-year contract to design, finance and build the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre in Louis Trichardt, South Africa. To fund the construction of the prison, SACS obtained long-term financing from its equity partners and lenders, the repayment of which is fully guaranteed by the South African government, except in the event of default, in which case the government guarantee is reduced to 80%. The Company’s maximum exposure for loss under this contract is limited to its investment in the joint venture of $9.4 million at October 2, 2011 and its guarantees related to SACS discussed in Note 11.

The Company does not consolidate its 50% owned joint venture in the United Kingdom. In February 2011, The GEO Group Limited, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary in the United Kingdom (“GEO UK”), executed a Shareholders Agreement (the “Shareholders Agreement”) with Amey Community Limited (“Amey”), GEO Amey PECS Limited (“GEOAmey”) and Amey UK PLC (“Amey Guarantor”) to form a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. GEOAmey was formed by GEO UK and Amey for the purpose of performing prisoner escort and related custody services in the United Kingdom and Wales. In order to form this private company, GEOAmey issued share capital of £100 divided into 100 shares of £1 each and allocated the shares 50/50 to GEO UK and Amey. GEO UK and Amey each have three directors appointed to the Board of Directors and neither party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the performance of GEOAmey. Both parties provide lines of credit of £12 million, or $18.7 million as of October 2, 2011, to ensure that GEOAmey can comply with future contractual commitments related to the performance of its operations. As of October 2, 2011, $9.9 million, including accrued interest, was owed to the Company by GEOAmey under the line of credit. GEOAmey commenced operations on August 29, 2011. The Company has recorded $1.1 million and $1.1 million in losses, net of tax impact, for GEOAmey’s operations during the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended October 2, 2011, which is included in Equity in earnings of affiliates in the accompanying consolidated statement of income and comprehensive income.