Business Segments and Geographic Information (Details Textual) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2014
segment
Facility
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |
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Number of Managed Correctional Facilities in Australia |
4geo_NumberOfManagedCorrectionalFacilitiesInAustralia |
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Number of reportable business segments |
4us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments |
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Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision |
$ 5,823,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments |
$ 6,265,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments |
$ 3,578,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments |
SACS |
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Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |
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Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision |
5,100,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember |
5,100,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember |
5,300,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember |
Investment in Joint Ventures |
8,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember |
8,100,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember |
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GEO Amey |
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Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |
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Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision |
700,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_GeoAmeyMember |
1,100,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_GeoAmeyMember |
(1,700,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_GeoAmeyMember |
Investment in Joint Ventures |
$ (2,200,000)us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_GeoAmeyMember |
$ (3,000,000)us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = geo_GeoAmeyMember |
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