Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 53,161		$ 31,755		$ 68,878	$ 43,377
Restricted cash and investments, current	9,337	[1]	15,654	[1]
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	244,558		246,635
Current deferred income tax assets	18,290		18,290
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	48,481		24,849
Total current assets	373,827		337,183
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	24,303		32,756
Property and equipment, net	1,729,407		1,687,159
Assets Held for Sale	1,200		3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	19,310		26,757
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532		2,532
Goodwill	490,230		490,308
Intangible Assets, Net	167,085		178,318
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	87,511		80,938
Total Assets	2,895,405		2,839,194
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	46,057		50,110
Accrued payroll and related taxes	46,437		39,322
Accrued expenses	119,268		116,557
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	17,120		53,882
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	2,265		0
Total current liabilities	231,147		259,871
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	15,703		15,703
Intercompany Payable	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	74,224		82,025
Capital Lease Obligations	11,177		11,926
Long-Term Debt	1,448,233		1,317,529
Non-recourse debt	80,548		104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,033,919		1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	454		492
Total shareholders’ equity	1,034,373		1,047,304
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,895,405		2,839,194
The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	24,964		4,764		45,827	15,086
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	78,712		124,670
Current deferred income tax assets	0		13,106
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,264		8,657
Total current assets	112,940		151,197
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	149		7,953
Property and equipment, net	684,368		633,458
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	935,735		591,273
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	0		16,230
Goodwill	34		34
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	969,465		1,151,998
Other Non-Current Assets	25,890		38,574
Total Assets	2,728,581		2,590,717
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	2,163		29,889
Accrued payroll and related taxes	207		4,774
Accrued expenses	41,780		94,350
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,000		33,925
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	2,265
Total current liabilities	49,415		162,938
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		0
Intercompany Payable	183,142		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	13,872		63,657
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	1,448,233		1,317,310
Non-recourse debt	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,033,919		1,046,812
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,033,919		1,046,812
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,728,581		2,590,717
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	3,479		1,917		4,343	3,091
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	147,352		102,704
Current deferred income tax assets	14,605		1,498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	23,817		5,890
Total current assets	189,253		112,009
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	10,008		0
Property and equipment, net	959,137		939,995
Assets Held for Sale	1,200		3,243
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	193,497		14,305
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	0		0
Goodwill	489,502		489,502
Intangible Assets, Net	165,767		176,666
Investment in Subsidiaries	420,318		41,356
Other Non-Current Assets	105,758		84,931
Total Assets	2,534,440		1,862,007
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	40,723		17,407
Accrued payroll and related taxes	29,371		16,264
Accrued expenses	62,520		5,515
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,193		1,311
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	0
Total current liabilities	133,807		40,497
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	15,703		31,933
Intercompany Payable	931,904		586,428
Other Non-Current Liabilities	136,647		96,822
Capital Lease Obligations	11,177		11,926
Long-Term Debt	0		219
Non-recourse debt	0		0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,305,202		1,094,182
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,305,202		1,094,182
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,534,440		1,862,007
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	24,718		25,074		18,708	25,200
Restricted cash and investments, current	9,337		15,654
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	18,494		19,261
Current deferred income tax assets	3,685		3,686
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	16,554		11,456
Total current assets	72,788		75,131
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	14,146		24,803
Property and equipment, net	85,902		113,706
Assets Held for Sale	0		0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	19,310		26,757
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	2,532		2,532
Goodwill	694		772
Intangible Assets, Net	1,318		1,652
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	35,431		36,584
Total Assets	232,121		281,937
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	3,171		2,814
Accrued payroll and related taxes	16,859		18,284
Accrued expenses	16,123		17,846
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	12,927		18,646
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	0
Total current liabilities	49,080		57,590
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		0
Intercompany Payable	14,187		19,150
Other Non-Current Liabilities	3,269		697
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Non-recourse debt	80,548		104,836
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	84,583		99,172
Noncontrolling interests	454		492
Total shareholders’ equity	85,037		99,664
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	232,121		281,937
Eliminations
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	(1,129,232)		(605,578)
Deferred Income Tax Assets, Net	0		(16,230)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,389,783)		(1,193,354)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,568)		(79,151)
Total Assets	(2,599,737)		(1,895,467)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0		0
Accrued expenses	(1,155)		(1,154)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0		0
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	0
Total current liabilities	(1,155)		(1,154)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		(16,230)
Intercompany Payable	(1,129,233)		(605,578)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,564)		(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.	(1,389,785)		(1,193,354)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,389,785)		(1,193,354)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,599,737)		$ (1,895,467)

[1] Variable interest entities or “VIEs”