Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 52,125,000		$ 31,755,000
Restricted cash and investments (including VIEs1 of $0 and $6,182, respectively)	11,518,000		15,654,000
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,549 and $2,546	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
Assets, Noncurrent [Abstract]
Restricted Cash and Investments (including VIEs of $0 and $15,521, respectively)	18,349,000		32,756,000
Property and Equipment, Net (including VIEs of $0 and $25,840, respectively)	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
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	4,821,000		2,532,000
Goodwill	490,196,000		490,308,000
Intangible Assets, Net	163,400,000		178,318,000
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 (including VIEs of $0 and $5,200, respectively)	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
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 (including VIEs of $0 and $16,997, respectively)	66,153,000		104,836,000
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 18)
Shareholders’ Equity
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 30,000,000 shares authorized, none issued or outstanding	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 90,000,000 shares authorized, 86,662,676 and 86,007,433 issued and 72,082,071 and 71,417,034 outstanding, respectively	866,000		860,000
Additional paid-in capital	848,018,000		832,230,000
Earnings in excess of distributions	232,646,000		264,667,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,429,000)		2,670,000
Treasury stock, 14,580,605 and 14,590,399 shares, at cost, at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	(53,579,000)		(53,615,000)
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
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ 2,889,364,000		$ 2,839,194,000

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