Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations	$ 255,187	$ 185,741	$ 125,472
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations	9,053	3,371	4,418
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	264,240	189,112	129,890
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF	(35,154)	0	0
Proceeds from RTS divestiture	33,253	0	0
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		(409,607)	(260,255)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	65	1,483	480
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	5,641	7,121	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	51,189	(9,503)	(11,184)
Capital expenditures	(107,549)	(222,033)	(94,691)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations	(52,555)	(632,539)	(365,650)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations	(2,761)	(3,002)	(2,611)
Net cash used in investing activities	(55,316)	(635,541)	(368,261)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long term debt	358,000	835,395	726,000
Income tax benefit of equity compensation	621	465	3,926
Payment of make-whole provision and other fees for early extinguishment of debt	(14,861)	0	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(5,758)	(4,012)	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	(8,666)	(74,982)	(80,000)
Debt issuance costs	(1,398)	(15,462)	(8,400)
Payments on long-term debt	(456,485)	(289,832)	(397,445)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	9,276	2,446	6,695
Cash dividends paid	102,435	0	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	460	0	0
Payments for retirement of common stock	(1,036)	0	(7,078)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(222,282)	454,018	243,698
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,735	(2,299)	4,169
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(11,623)	5,290	9,496
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	43,378	38,088	28,592
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	31,755	43,378	38,088
The GEO Group Inc. [Member]
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations	107,116	173,438	79,469
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations	3,250	3,475	(3,818)
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	110,366	176,913	75,651
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF	0
Proceeds from RTS divestiture	29,653
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		(409,607)	(260,255)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(61,425)	(191,642)	(79,062)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations	(31,772)	(601,249)	(339,317)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations	211	(696)	(954)
Net cash used in investing activities	(31,561)	(601,945)	(340,271)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long term debt	358,000	782,247	726,000
Income tax benefit of equity compensation	621	465	3,926
Payment of make-whole provision and other fees for early extinguishment of debt	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	8,666	(74,982)	(80,000)
Debt issuance costs	(1,360)	(15,462)	(8,400)
Payments on long-term debt	343,987	(257,210)	(386,285)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	9,276	2,446	6,695
Cash dividends paid	(102,435)
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	460
Payments for retirement of common stock	(1,036)		(7,078)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(89,127)	437,504	254,858
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(10,322)	12,472	(9,762)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	15,086	2,614	12,376
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	4,764	15,086	2,614
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations	62,330	18,834	6,542
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations	26,430	7,026	9,558
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	88,760	25,860	16,100
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF	(35,154)
Proceeds from RTS divestiture	0
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		0	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	65	1,450	480
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	5,641	7,121
Change in restricted cash and investments	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(42,406)	(28,266)	(14,385)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations	(71,854)	(19,695)	(13,905)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations	(1,820)	(1,973)	(1,369)
Net cash used in investing activities	(73,674)	(21,668)	(15,274)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Income tax benefit of equity compensation	0	0	0
Payment of make-whole provision and other fees for early extinguishment of debt	(14,861)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	0		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	1,400	(1,275)	(720)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0
Payments for retirement of common stock	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(16,261)	(1,275)	(720)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(1,175)	2,917	106
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	3,092	175	69
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	1,917	3,092	175
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations	85,741	(6,531)	39,461
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations	(20,627)	(7,130)	(1,322)
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	65,114	(13,661)	38,139
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF	0
Proceeds from RTS divestiture	3,600
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		0	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	33
Change in restricted cash and investments	51,189	(9,503)	(11,184)
Capital expenditures	(3,718)	(2,125)	(1,244)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations	51,071	(11,595)	(12,428)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations	(1,152)	(333)	(288)
Net cash used in investing activities	49,919	(11,928)	(12,716)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long term debt	0	53,148	0
Income tax benefit of equity compensation	0	0	0
Payment of make-whole provision and other fees for early extinguishment of debt	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	5,758	(4,012)
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs	(38)	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	111,098	(31,347)	(10,440)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0
Payments for retirement of common stock	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(116,894)	17,789	(10,440)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,735	(2,299)	4,169
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(126)	(10,099)	19,152
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	25,200	35,299	16,147
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 25,074	$ 25,200	$ 35,299