Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 52,125,000		$ 31,755,000		$ 43,378,000	$ 38,088,000
Restricted cash and investments, current	11,518,000		15,654,000
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	250,530,000		246,635,000
Current deferred income tax assets, net	20,936,000		18,290,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	49,236,000		24,849,000
Total current assets	384,345,000		337,183,000
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	18,349,000		32,756,000
Property and equipment, net	1,727,798,000	[1]	1,687,159,000	[1]
Assets Held for Sale	0		3,243,000
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	16,944,000		26,757,000
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	4,821,000		2,532,000
Goodwill	490,196,000		490,308,000		490,296,000
Intangible Assets, Net	163,400,000		178,318,000
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	83,511,000		80,938,000
Total Assets	2,889,364,000		2,839,194,000
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	47,286,000		50,110,000
Accrued payroll and related taxes	38,726,000		39,322,000
Accrued expenses	114,950,000		116,557,000
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	22,163,000		53,882,000
Total current liabilities	223,125,000		259,871,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	14,689,000		15,703,000
Intercompany Payable	0		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	64,961,000		82,025,000
Capital Lease Obligations	10,924,000		11,926,000
Long-Term Debt	1,485,536,000		1,317,529,000
Non-Recourse Debt	66,153,000		104,836,000
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,023,522,000		1,046,812,000
Noncontrolling interests	454,000		492,000
Total shareholders’ equity	1,023,976,000		1,047,304,000		1,038,521,000	1,039,490,000
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,889,364,000		2,839,194,000
The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	30,730,000		4,764,000		15,086,000	2,614,000
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	84,087,000		124,670,000
Current deferred income tax assets, net	0		13,106,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17,834,000		8,657,000
Total current assets	132,651,000		151,197,000
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	167,000		7,953,000
Property and equipment, net	686,005,000		633,458,000
Assets Held for Sale			0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	947,916,000		591,273,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		16,230,000
Goodwill	34,000		34,000
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	898,333,000		1,151,998,000
Other Non-Current Assets	23,346,000		38,574,000
Total Assets	2,688,452,000		2,590,717,000
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	29,866,000		29,889,000
Accrued payroll and related taxes	207,000		4,774,000
Accrued expenses	26,963,000		94,350,000
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,000,000		33,925,000
Total current liabilities	60,036,000		162,938,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	(120,000)		0
Intercompany Payable	114,208,000		0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	5,270,000		63,657,000
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	1,485,536,000		1,317,310,000
Non-Recourse Debt	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,023,522,000		1,046,812,000
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,023,522,000		1,046,812,000
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,688,452,000		2,590,717,000
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	985,000		1,917,000		3,092,000	175,000
Restricted cash and investments, current	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	149,239,000		102,704,000
Current deferred income tax assets, net	19,236,000		1,498,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,032,000		5,890,000
Total current assets	190,492,000		112,009,000
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	11,158,000		0
Property and equipment, net	956,724,000		939,995,000
Assets Held for Sale			3,243,000
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	123,237,000		14,305,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		0
Goodwill	489,501,000		489,502,000
Intangible Assets, Net	162,160,000		176,666,000
Investment in Subsidiaries	421,218,000		41,356,000
Other Non-Current Assets	104,241,000		84,931,000
Total Assets	2,458,731,000		1,862,007,000
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	13,895,000		17,407,000
Accrued payroll and related taxes	23,470,000		16,264,000
Accrued expenses	74,645,000		5,515,000
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,185,000		1,311,000
Total current liabilities	113,195,000		40,497,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	14,792,000		31,933,000
Intercompany Payable	942,666,000		586,428,000
Other Non-Current Liabilities	138,743,000		96,822,000
Capital Lease Obligations	10,924,000		11,926,000
Long-Term Debt	0		219,000
Non-Recourse Debt	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,238,411,000		1,094,182,000
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,238,411,000		1,094,182,000
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,458,731,000		1,862,007,000
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	20,410,000		25,074,000		25,200,000	35,299,000
Restricted cash and investments, current	11,518,000		15,654,000
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	17,204,000		19,261,000
Current deferred income tax assets, net	1,700,000		3,686,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,524,000		11,456,000
Total current assets	62,356,000		75,131,000
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	7,024,000		24,803,000
Property and equipment, net	85,069,000		113,706,000
Assets Held for Sale			0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	16,944,000		26,757,000
Intercompany Receivable	0		0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	4,821,000		2,532,000
Goodwill	661,000		772,000
Intangible Assets, Net	1,240,000		1,652,000
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0
Other Non-Current Assets	35,615,000		36,584,000
Total Assets	213,730,000		281,937,000
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	3,525,000		2,814,000
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,049,000		18,284,000
Accrued expenses	14,496,000		17,846,000
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	17,978,000		18,646,000
Total current liabilities	51,048,000		57,590,000
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	17,000		0
Intercompany Payable	14,279,000		19,150,000
Other Non-Current Liabilities	639,000		697,000
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Non-Recourse Debt	66,153,000		104,836,000
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	81,140,000		99,172,000
Noncontrolling interests	454,000		492,000
Total shareholders’ equity	81,594,000		99,664,000
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	213,730,000		281,937,000
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, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,154,000)		(1,154,000)
Total current assets	(1,154,000)		(1,154,000)
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0		0
Property and equipment, net	0		0
Assets Held for Sale			0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0		0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,071,153,000)		(605,578,000)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0		(16,230,000)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net	0		0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,319,551,000)		(1,193,354,000)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,691,000)		(79,151,000)
Total Assets	(2,471,549,000)		(1,895,467,000)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0		0
Accrued expenses	(1,154,000)		(1,154,000)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0		0
Total current liabilities	(1,154,000)		(1,154,000)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0		(16,230,000)
Intercompany Payable	(1,071,153,000)		(605,578,000)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,691,000)		(79,151,000)
Capital Lease Obligations	0		0
Long-Term Debt	0		0
Non-Recourse Debt	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(1,319,551,000)		(1,193,354,000)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,319,551,000)		(1,193,354,000)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,471,549,000)		$ (1,895,467,000)

[1] As of December 31, 2013 and 2012 Canada did not have any significant long-lived assets.