Debt Non-Recourse Debt (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Non Recourse Debt Two Thousand Three Revenue Bonds [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Non Recourse Debt Northwest Detention Center [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Non Recourse Debt Two Thousand Eleven Revenue Bonds [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Australian Subsidiaries Non Recourse Debt [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Australian Subsidiaries Non Recourse Debt [Member] AUD	Dec. 31, 2012 Australian Subsidiaries Non Recourse Debt [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Australian Subsidiaries Non Recourse Debt [Member] AUD	Sep. 30, 2013 South Texas Detention Complex Carrying Value USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Bonds Defeasance [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 7.75% Senior Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 7.75% Senior Notes Senior Notes	Nov. 03, 2013 7.75% Senior Notes Subsequent Event Senior Notes USD ($)	Sep. 19, 2013 7.75% Senior Notes Subsequent Event Senior Notes USD ($)	Oct. 03, 2013 Senior Notes Due January 15, 2022 Subsequent Event	Nov. 03, 2013 Senior Notes Due January 15, 2022 Subsequent Event Senior Notes	Oct. 03, 2013 Senior Notes Due January 15, 2022 Subsequent Event Senior Notes USD ($)	Oct. 03, 2013 Senior Note Due 2017 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Note Due 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Note Due 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 57,000,000.0		$ 54,400,000					$ 49,500,000					$ 250,000,000.0			$ 250,000,000.0
Outstanding balance													17,200,000
Proceeds from funds held in trust													17,300,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,451,000	8,462,000	6,978,000	8,462,000										1,500,000			17,400,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum							4.10%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum							5.25%
Current Portion of Non recourse Debt							6,600,000
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current							9,300,000
Total Non-Recourse Debt	93,476,000		93,476,000		123,482,000		67,700,000		26,800,000	28,700,000	34,800,000	33,600,000
Basis spread on variable rate									1.40%	1.40%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate Terms									variable rate quoted by certain Australian banks plus 140 basis points	variable rate quoted by certain Australian banks plus 140 basis points
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent							$ 6,900,000		$ 4,700,000	5,000,000
Interest rate	7.75%		7.75%												7.75%	7.75%			5.875%	5.875%		7.75%	7.75%	7.75%