Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Oct. 02, 2011		Jan. 02, 2011		Oct. 03, 2010	Jan. 03, 2010
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 43,956		$ 39,664		$ 53,766	$ 33,856
Restricted cash and investments, current	41,033	[1]	41,150	[1]
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	274,294		275,778
Deferred income tax assets, net	44,972		29,115
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,611		36,377
Total current assets	425,866		422,084
Restricted cash and investments	53,274		49,492
Property and equipment, net	1,673,851		1,511,292
Assets Held for Sale	3,998		9,970
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	31,673		37,544
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Deferred Income Tax Asset, Net	936		936
Goodwill	512,669		236,594
Intangible Assets, Net	205,131		87,813
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	83,192		56,648
Total Assets	2,990,590		2,412,373
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	72,216		73,880
Accrued payroll and related taxes	47,772		33,361
Accrued expenses	129,534		118,472
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	51,204		41,574
Total current liabilities	300,726		267,287
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	99,142		55,318
Intercompany Payable	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	59,322		46,862
Capital Lease Obligations	13,363		13,686
Long-Term Debt	1,310,771		798,336
Other non-recourse debt, including current portion	162,033		191,394
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders' equity	1,045,233		1,039,490
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	2,990,590		2,412,373
The GEO Group Inc. [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	3,161		2,614		21,494	12,376
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	115,684		121,749
Deferred income tax assets, net	15,191		15,191
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,376		12,325
Total current assets	138,412		151,879
Restricted cash and investments	7,454		6,168
Property and equipment, net	584,276		433,219
Assets Held for Sale	3,083		3,083
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	401,879		203,703
Deferred Income Tax Asset, Net	0		0
Goodwill	34		34
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,372,562		1,184,297
Other Non-Current Assets	41,702		24,020
Total Assets	2,549,402		2,006,403
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	30,346		57,015
Accrued payroll and related taxes	18,271		6,535
Accrued expenses	85,326		55,081
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	17,197		9,500
Total current liabilities	151,140		128,131
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	15,874		15,874
Intercompany Payable	1,718		1,805
Other Non-Current Liabilities	25,156		22,767
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	1,310,281		798,336
Other non-recourse debt, including current portion	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders' equity	1,045,233		1,039,490
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	2,549,402		2,006,403
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	3,794		221		710	5,333
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	136,041		130,197
Deferred income tax assets, net	25,654		9,797
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	8,200		23,222
Total current assets	173,689		163,437
Restricted cash and investments	0		0
Property and equipment, net	882,274		867,046
Assets Held for Sale	915		6,887
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	14,212		14,380
Deferred Income Tax Asset, Net	0		0
Goodwill	511,915		235,798
Intangible Assets, Net	203,236		85,384
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	73,013		45,820
Total Assets	1,859,254		1,418,752
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	39,510		13,254
Accrued payroll and related taxes	14,431		10,965
Accrued expenses	23,640		38,193
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,366		782
Total current liabilities	78,947		63,194
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	83,248		39,424
Intercompany Payable	392,388		199,994
Other Non-Current Liabilities	35,090		25,839
Capital Lease Obligations	13,363		13,686
Long-Term Debt	490		0
Other non-recourse debt, including current portion	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders' equity	1,255,728		1,076,615
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	1,859,254		1,418,752
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	37,001		36,829		31,562	16,147
Restricted cash and investments, current	41,033		41,150
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	22,569		23,832
Deferred income tax assets, net	4,127		4,127
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10,189		9,256
Total current assets	114,919		115,194
Restricted cash and investments	45,820		43,324
Property and equipment, net	207,301		211,027
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	31,673		37,544
Intercompany Receivable	1,718		1,805
Deferred Income Tax Asset, Net	936		936
Goodwill	720		762
Intangible Assets, Net	1,895		2,429
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	29,715		28,558
Total Assets	434,697		441,579
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	2,360		3,611
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,070		15,861
Accrued expenses	21,722		33,624
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	32,641		31,292
Total current liabilities	71,793		84,388
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	20		20
Intercompany Payable	23,703		18,089
Other Non-Current Liabilities	60,314		40,006
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Other non-recourse debt, including current portion	162,033		191,394
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders' equity	116,834		107,682
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	434,697		441,579
Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0		0
Deferred income tax assets, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,154)		(8,426)
Total current assets	(1,154)		(8,426)
Restricted cash and investments	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	(417,809)		(219,888)
Deferred Income Tax Asset, Net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,372,562)		(1,184,297)
Other Non-Current Assets	(61,238)		(41,750)
Total Assets	(1,852,763)		(1,454,361)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0		0
Accrued expenses	(1,154)		(8,426)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0		0
Total current liabilities	(1,154)		(8,426)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		0
Intercompany Payable	(417,809)		(219,888)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(61,238)		(41,750)
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Other non-recourse debt, including current portion	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders' equity	(1,372,562)		(1,184,297)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (1,852,763)		$ (1,454,361)

[1] Variable interest entities or "VIEs"