Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2012	Apr. 03, 2011	Jan. 01, 2012
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Net income	$ 15,059,000	$ 16,380,000
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(34,000)	410,000
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	15,025,000	16,790,000
Basic earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding	60,768,000	64,291,000
Per share amount	$ 0.25	$ 0.26
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding	60,768,000	64,291,000
Effect of dilutive securities: Stock options and restricted stock	161,000	440,000
Weighted average shares assuming dilution	60,929,000	64,731,000
Per share amount	$ 0.25	$ 0.26
Basic and diluted earnings per share (Textual) [Abstract]
Stock repurchase program, authorized amount	100,000,000
Shares purchased	0		3,900,000
Common stock repurchased, at cost			$ 75,000,000
Restricted Stock [Member]
Basic and diluted earnings per share (Textual) [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	1,262	0
Stock Options [Member]
Basic and diluted earnings per share (Textual) [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	202,094	32,074