Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Apr. 01, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 83,724	$ 31,755	$ 47,244	$ 43,378
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,780	15,654
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	254,917	246,635
Current deferred income tax assets	18,290	18,290
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	25,649	24,849
Total current assets	398,360	337,183
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	30,337	32,756
Property and equipment, net	1,680,165	1,687,159
Assets Held for Sale	1,700	3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	25,010	26,757
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532	2,532
Goodwill	490,312	490,308
Intangible Assets, Net	174,473	178,318
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	85,193	80,938
Total Assets	2,888,082	2,839,194
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	52,152	50,110
Accrued payroll and related taxes	46,316	39,322
Accrued expenses	112,175	116,557
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	59,627	53,882
Total current liabilities	270,270	259,871
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	15,703	15,703
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	82,522	82,025
Capital Lease Obligations	11,678	11,926
Long-Term Debt	1,370,167	1,317,529
Non-recourse debt	97,964	104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,039,309	1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	469	492
Total shareholders’ equity	1,039,778	1,047,304
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,888,082	2,839,194
The GEO Group Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	32,986	4,764	8,973	15,086
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	90,547	124,670
Current deferred income tax assets	0	13,106
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,321	8,657
Total current assets	125,854	151,197
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	124	7,953
Property and equipment, net	591,261	633,458
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,229,529	591,273
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	16,230	16,230
Goodwill	34	34
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	967,072	1,151,998
Other Non-Current Assets	20,933	38,574
Total Assets	2,951,037	2,590,717
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	12,208	29,889
Accrued payroll and related taxes	1,664	4,774
Accrued expenses	65,790	94,350
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	37,522	33,925
Total current liabilities	117,184	162,938
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	399,871	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	24,677	63,657
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	1,369,996	1,317,310
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,039,309	1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,039,309	1,046,812
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,951,037	2,590,717
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	19,085	1,917	2,460	3,092
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	145,102	102,704
Current deferred income tax assets	14,604	1,498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	13,270	5,890
Total current assets	192,061	112,009
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	9,098	0
Property and equipment, net	975,973	939,995
Assets Held for Sale	1,700	3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	414,270	14,305
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	0	0
Goodwill	489,502	489,502
Intangible Assets, Net	172,982	176,666
Investment in Subsidiaries	28,178	41,356
Other Non-Current Assets	108,836	84,931
Total Assets	2,392,600	1,862,007
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	37,012	17,407
Accrued payroll and related taxes	27,001	16,264
Accrued expenses	25,580	5,515
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,230	1,311
Total current liabilities	92,823	40,497
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	31,933	31,933
Intercompany Payable	1,224,622	586,428
Other Non-Current Liabilities	136,311	96,822
Capital Lease Obligations	11,678	11,926
Long-Term Debt	171	219
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	895,062	1,094,182
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	895,062	1,094,182
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,392,600	1,862,007
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	31,653	25,074	35,811	25,200
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,780	15,654
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	19,268	19,261
Current deferred income tax assets	3,686	3,686
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,212	11,456
Total current assets	81,599	75,131
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	21,115	24,803
Property and equipment, net	112,931	113,706
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	25,010	26,757
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532	2,532
Goodwill	776	772
Intangible Assets, Net	1,491	1,652
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	34,713	36,584
Total Assets	280,167	281,937
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	2,932	2,814
Accrued payroll and related taxes	17,651	18,284
Accrued expenses	21,959	17,846
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	18,875	18,646
Total current liabilities	61,417	57,590
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	19,306	19,150
Other Non-Current Liabilities	823	697
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	97,964	104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	100,188	99,172
Noncontrolling interests	469	492
Total shareholders’ equity	100,657	99,664
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	280,167	281,937
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
Current deferred income tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,154)	(1,154)
Total current assets	(1,154)	(1,154)
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,643,799)	(605,578)
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	(16,230)	(16,230)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(995,250)	(1,193,354)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,289)	(79,151)
Total Assets	(2,735,722)	(1,895,467)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses	(1,154)	(1,154)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,154)	(1,154)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	(16,230)	(16,230)
Intercompany Payable	(1,643,799)	(605,578)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,289)	(79,151)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(995,250)	(1,193,354)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(995,250)	(1,193,354)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,735,722)	$ (1,895,467)