Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jul. 01, 2012	Apr. 01, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Oct. 02, 2011	Jul. 03, 2011	Apr. 03, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 378,731	$ 369,115	$ 371,174	$ 360,042	$ 354,473	$ 354,728	$ 356,012	$ 341,959	$ 1,479,062	$ 1,407,172	$ 1,084,592
Operating expenses									1,089,232	1,036,010	811,767
Depreciation and amortization									91,685	81,548	44,365
General and administrative expenses									113,792	110,015	101,558
Operating Income	39,313	51,602	52,941	40,497	47,298	47,265	46,298	38,738	184,353	179,599	126,902
Interest Income									6,716	7,032	6,242
Interest Expense									(82,189)	(75,378)	(40,694)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									(8,462)	0	(7,933)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates, and discontinued operations									100,418	111,253	84,517
Provision for Income Taxes									(40,562)	43,172	34,364
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $1,660, $2,406 and $2,212									3,578	1,563	4,218
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									144,558	69,644	54,371
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from Continuing Operations	95,413	14,532	20,858	13,755	17,176	18,820	18,620	15,028	144,558	69,644	54,371
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,805), $4,753, and $5,168	(13,777)	194	1,619	1,304	1,450	2,474	2,544	1,351	(10,660)	7,819	8,419
Net Income									133,898	77,463	62,790
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									852	1,162	678
Net Income Attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									134,750	78,625	63,468
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax									624	(8,253)	4,645
Total comprehensive income									134,522	69,210	67,435
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									968	1,274	608
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									135,490	70,484	68,043
The GEO Group Inc. [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									605,091	556,163	557,473
Operating expenses									529,318	503,355	491,532
Depreciation and amortization									29,521	20,615	16,728
General and administrative expenses									44,214	39,445	46,840
Operating Income									2,038	(7,252)	2,373
Interest Income									32,580	29,087	5,309
Interest Expense									(68,737)	(61,447)	(29,484)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		(7,933)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates, and discontinued operations									(34,119)	(39,612)	(29,735)
Provision for Income Taxes									(11,303)	(15,158)	(8,475)
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $1,660, $2,406 and $2,212									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									(22,816)	(24,454)	(21,260)
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									167,374	94,098	75,631
Income from Continuing Operations									144,558	69,644	54,371
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,805), $4,753, and $5,168									(10,660)	7,819	8,419
Net Income									133,898	77,463	62,790
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net Income Attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									133,898	77,463	62,790
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax									(461)	(1,131)	(383)
Total comprehensive income									133,437	76,332	62,407
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									133,437	76,332	62,407
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									721,949	717,926	380,596
Operating expenses									451,564	448,057	218,546
Depreciation and amortization									54,719	53,458	22,389
General and administrative expenses									52,753	55,698	36,746
Operating Income									162,913	160,713	102,915
Interest Income									1,713	2,608	1,297
Interest Expense									(33,204)	(30,720)	(6,113)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									(8,462)		0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates, and discontinued operations									122,960	132,601	98,099
Provision for Income Taxes									(31,352)	51,518	37,705
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $1,660, $2,406 and $2,212									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									154,312	81,083	60,394
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from Continuing Operations									154,312	81,083	60,394
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,805), $4,753, and $5,168									(5,942)	6,329	4,857
Net Income									148,370	87,412	65,251
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net Income Attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									148,370	87,412	65,251
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									148,370	87,412	65,251
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									148,370	87,412	65,251
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									230,261	220,352	214,095
Operating expenses									186,589	171,867	169,261
Depreciation and amortization									7,445	7,475	5,248
General and administrative expenses									16,825	14,872	17,972
Operating Income									19,402	26,138	21,614
Interest Income									6,122	6,462	5,836
Interest Expense									(13,947)	(14,336)	(11,297)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates, and discontinued operations									11,577	18,264	16,153
Provision for Income Taxes									2,093	6,812	5,134
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $1,660, $2,406 and $2,212									3,578	1,563	4,218
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									13,062	13,015	15,237
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from Continuing Operations									13,062	13,015	15,237
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,805), $4,753, and $5,168									447	473	864
Net Income									13,509	13,488	16,101
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									852	1,162	0
Net Income Attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									14,361	14,650	16,101
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax									1,085	(7,122)	5,028
Total comprehensive income									14,594	6,366	21,129
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									968	1,274	608
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									15,562	7,640	21,737
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									(78,239)	(87,269)	(67,572)
Operating expenses									(78,239)	(87,269)	(67,572)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating Income									0	0	0
Interest Income									(33,699)	(31,125)	(6,200)
Interest Expense									33,699	31,125	6,200
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates, and discontinued operations									0	0	0
Provision for Income Taxes									0	0	0
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $1,660, $2,406 and $2,212									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									(167,374)	(94,098)	(75,631)
Income from Continuing Operations									(167,374)	(94,098)	(75,631)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,805), $4,753, and $5,168									5,495	(6,802)	(5,721)
Net Income									(161,879)	(100,900)	(81,352)
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests										0	678
Net Income Attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									(161,879)	(100,900)	(80,674)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									(161,879)	(100,900)	(81,352)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									$ (161,879)	$ (100,900)	$ (81,352)