Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Jul. 01, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 38,511		$ 31,755		$ 68,316	$ 43,378
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,646	[1]	15,654	[1]
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	239,001		246,635
Current deferred income tax assets	18,290		18,290
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	25,142		24,849
Total current assets	336,590		337,183
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	37,748		32,756
Property and equipment, net	1,739,986		1,687,159
Assets Held for Sale	1,200		3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	20,445		26,757
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532		2,532
Goodwill	490,216		490,308
Intangible Assets, Net	170,743		178,318
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	88,742		80,938
Total Assets	2,888,202		2,839,194
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	47,391		50,110
Accrued payroll and related taxes	34,314		39,322
Accrued expenses	109,179		116,557
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	22,341		53,882
Total current liabilities	213,225		259,871
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	15,703		15,703
Intercompany Payable	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	74,137		82,025
Capital Lease Obligations	11,426		11,926
Long-Term Debt	1,444,475		1,317,529
Non-recourse debt	93,352		104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,035,434		1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	450		492
Total shareholders’ equity	1,035,884		1,047,304
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,888,202		2,839,194
The GEO Group Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5,736		4,764		43,081	15,086
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	82,406		124,670
Current deferred income tax assets	0		13,106
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,168		8,657
Total current assets	89,310		151,197
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	134		7,953
Property and equipment, net	654,956		633,458
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	937,073		591,273
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	16,230		16,230
Goodwill	34		34
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	954,156		1,151,998
Other Non-Current Assets	26,815		38,574
Total Assets	2,678,708		2,590,717
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	5,290		29,889
Accrued payroll and related taxes	1,827		4,774
Accrued expenses	61,014		94,350
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,000		33,925
Total current liabilities	71,131		162,938
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		0
Intercompany Payable	113,567		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	14,101		63,657
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	1,444,475		1,317,310
Non-recourse debt	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,035,434		1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,035,434		1,046,812
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,678,708		2,590,717
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	1,084		1,917		4,467	3,092
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	137,948		102,704
Current deferred income tax assets	14,604		1,498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	13,253		5,890
Total current assets	166,889		112,009
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	9,410		0
Property and equipment, net	973,246		939,995
Assets Held for Sale	1,200		3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	128,058		14,305
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	0		0
Goodwill	489,502		489,502
Intangible Assets, Net	169,375		176,666
Investment in Subsidiaries	442,679		41,356
Other Non-Current Assets	107,330		84,931
Total Assets	2,487,689		1,862,007
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	38,898		17,407
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,868		16,264
Accrued expenses	30,678		5,515
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,212		1,311
Total current liabilities	86,656		40,497
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	31,933		31,933
Intercompany Payable	930,800		586,428
Other Non-Current Liabilities	136,207		96,822
Capital Lease Obligations	11,426		11,926
Long-Term Debt	0		219
Non-recourse debt	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,290,667		1,094,182
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,290,667		1,094,182
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,487,689		1,862,007
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	31,691		25,074		20,768	25,200
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,646		15,654
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	18,647		19,261
Current deferred income tax assets	3,686		3,686
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,875		11,456
Total current assets	81,545		75,131
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	28,204		24,803
Property and equipment, net	111,784		113,706
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	20,445		26,757
Intercompany Receivable	(1,300)		0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532		2,532
Goodwill	680		772
Intangible Assets, Net	1,368		1,652
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	34,018		36,584
Total Assets	279,276		281,937
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	3,203		2,814
Accrued payroll and related taxes	16,619		18,284
Accrued expenses	18,641		17,846
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	18,129		18,646
Total current liabilities	56,592		57,590
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		0
Intercompany Payable	19,457		19,150
Other Non-Current Liabilities	3,257		697
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Non-recourse debt	93,352		104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	106,168		99,172
Noncontrolling interests	450		492
Total shareholders’ equity	106,618		99,664
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	279,276		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	(1,063,831)		(605,578)
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	(16,230)		(16,230)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,396,835)		(1,193,354)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,421)		(79,151)
Total Assets	(2,557,471)		(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	(1,063,824)		(605,578)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,428)		(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.	(1,396,835)		(1,193,354)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,396,835)		(1,193,354)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,557,471)		$ (1,895,467)

[1] Variable interest entities or “VIEs”