Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jul. 01, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jul. 01, 2012
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 381,653	$ 371,173	$ 758,684	$ 731,215
Operating expenses	279,246	269,141	560,043	539,861
Depreciation and amortization	23,657	22,962	46,592	45,201
General and administrative expenses	27,363	26,129	59,403	52,715
Operating income	51,387	52,941	92,646	93,438
Interest income	1,165	1,761	2,349	3,568
Interest expense	(21,103)	(20,618)	(40,444)	(41,424)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(5,527)	0	(5,527)	0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations	25,922	34,084	49,024	55,582
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(7,268)	13,660	(6,387)	22,150
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,029	430	2,246	1,178
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	34,219	20,854	57,657	34,610
Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	34,219	20,854	57,657	34,610
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	1,622	0	2,925
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	25	(30)	(9)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	34,207	22,501	57,627	37,526
Net income	34,219	22,476	57,657	37,535
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,260)	(2,469)	(6,440)	(482)
Total comprehensive income	28,959	20,007	51,217	37,053
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	19	58	42	(4)
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	28,978	20,065	51,259	37,049
The GEO Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	118,859	153,753	232,348	294,370
Operating expenses	102,108	130,454	201,518	261,460
Depreciation and amortization	5,875	7,389	11,697	14,244
General and administrative expenses	8,156	9,384	17,354	18,780
Operating income	2,720	6,526	1,779	(114)
Interest income	4,029	7,847	7,989	15,655
Interest expense	(10,373)	(16,837)	(20,292)	(33,754)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(2,600)		(2,600)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations	(6,224)	(2,464)	(13,124)	(18,213)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(8,339)	(667)	(9,006)	(6,323)
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	2,115	(1,797)	(4,118)	(11,890)
Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	32,104	22,651	61,775	46,500
Income from continuing operations	34,219	20,854	57,657	34,610
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	1,622		2,925
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	34,219	22,476	57,657	37,535
Net income	34,219	22,476	57,657	37,535
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	29	0	59
Total comprehensive income	34,219	22,505	57,657	37,594
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	34,219	22,505	57,657	37,594
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	314,120	57,780	626,649	115,772
Operating expenses	239,194	46,009	479,671	90,811
Depreciation and amortization	16,556	2,140	32,438	4,272
General and administrative expenses	15,420	3,962	33,612	7,858
Operating income	42,950	5,669	80,928	12,831
Interest income	359	1,661	909	3,262
Interest expense	(12,708)	(3,996)	(24,139)	(8,068)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(2,927)		(2,927)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations	27,674	3,334	54,771	8,025
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	226	1,467	632	3,301
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	430	0	1,178
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	27,448	2,297	54,139	5,902
Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	27,448	2,297	54,139	5,902
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	233		553
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	25	0	(9)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	27,448	2,555	54,139	6,446
Net income	27,448	2,530	54,139	6,455
Other comprehensive income (loss)	40	(2,498)	80	(541)
Total comprehensive income	27,488	32	54,219	5,914
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	58	0	(4)
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	27,488	90	54,219	5,910
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	55,585	177,301	112,970	361,488
Operating expenses	44,855	110,339	92,137	228,005
Depreciation and amortization	1,226	13,433	2,457	26,685
General and administrative expenses	3,787	12,783	8,437	26,077
Operating income	5,717	40,746	9,939	80,721
Interest income	1,123	394	2,219	886
Interest expense	(2,368)	(7,926)	(4,781)	(15,837)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations	4,472	33,214	7,377	65,770
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	845	12,860	1,987	25,172
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,029	0	2,246	0
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	4,656	20,354	7,636	40,598
Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	4,656	20,354	7,636	40,598
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	2,046		3,118
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12)	0	(30)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	4,644	22,400	7,606	43,716
Net income	4,656	22,400	7,636	43,716
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(5,300)	0	(6,520)	0
Total comprehensive income	(644)	22,400	1,116	43,716
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	19	0	42	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(625)	22,400	1,158	43,716
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(106,911)	(17,661)	(213,283)	(40,415)
Operating expenses	(106,911)	(17,661)	(213,283)	(40,415)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(4,346)	(8,141)	(8,768)	(16,235)
Interest expense	4,346	8,141	8,768	16,235
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in Income of Consolidated Subsidiaries	(32,104)	(22,651)	(61,775)	(46,500)
Income from continuing operations	(32,104)	(22,651)	(61,775)	(46,500)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	(2,279)		(3,671)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0		0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	(32,104)	(24,930)	(61,775)	(50,171)
Net income	(32,104)	(24,930)	(61,775)	(50,171)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(32,104)	(24,930)	(61,775)	(50,171)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (32,104)	$ (24,930)	$ (61,775)	$ (50,171)