Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 41,337	$ 52,125	$ 31,755	$ 43,378
Restricted cash and investments, current	4,341	11,518
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	269,038	250,530
Current deferred income tax assets	25,884	20,936
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	36,806	49,236
Total current assets	377,406	384,345
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	19,578	18,349
Property and equipment, net	1,772,166	1,727,798		1,687,159
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	9,256	16,944
Contract Receivable	66,229	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	5,873	4,821
Goodwill	493,890	490,196		490,308
Intangible Assets, Net	155,275	163,400
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	102,535	83,511
Total Assets	3,002,208	2,889,364
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	58,155	47,286
Accrued payroll and related taxes	38,556	38,726
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	140,612	114,950
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	16,752	22,163
Total current liabilities	254,075	223,125
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	10,068	14,689
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	87,429	64,961
Capital Lease Obligations	9,856	10,924
Long-Term Debt	1,462,819	1,485,536
Non-Recourse Debt	131,968	66,153
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,045,679	1,023,522
Noncontrolling interests	314	454
Total shareholders’ equity	1,045,993	1,023,976	1,047,304	1,038,521
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,002,208	2,889,364
The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	18,492	30,730	4,764	15,086
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	92,456	84,087
Current deferred income tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,022	17,834
Total current assets	117,970	132,651
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	228	167
Property and equipment, net	726,238	686,005
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	962,314	947,916
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	34	34
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	855,870	898,333
Other Non-Current Assets	25,635	23,346
Total Assets	2,688,289	2,688,452
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	7,549	29,866
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	207
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	47,637	26,963
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,001	3,000
Total current liabilities	58,187	60,036
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	(4,095)	(120)
Intercompany Payable	121,327	114,208
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4,372	5,270
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	1,462,819	1,485,536
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,045,679	1,023,522
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,045,679	1,023,522
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,688,289	2,688,452
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	782	985	1,917	3,092
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	159,505	149,239
Current deferred income tax assets	21,657	19,236
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19,593	21,032
Total current assets	201,537	190,492
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	13,729	11,158
Property and equipment, net	961,896	956,724
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	119,414	123,237
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	493,389	489,501
Intangible Assets, Net	154,237	162,160
Investment in Subsidiaries	438,243	421,218
Other Non-Current Assets	110,105	104,241
Total Assets	2,492,550	2,458,731
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	47,130	13,895
Accrued payroll and related taxes	24,184	23,470
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	75,574	74,645
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,170	1,185
Total current liabilities	148,058	113,195
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	14,170	14,792
Intercompany Payable	942,071	942,666
Other Non-Current Liabilities	143,584	138,743
Capital Lease Obligations	9,856	10,924
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,234,811	1,238,411
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,234,811	1,238,411
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,492,550	2,458,731
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	22,063	20,410	25,074	25,200
Restricted cash and investments, current	4,341	11,518
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	17,077	17,204
Current deferred income tax assets	4,227	1,700
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,345	11,524
Total current assets	59,053	62,356
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	5,621	7,024
Property and equipment, net	84,032	85,069
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	9,256	16,944
Contract Receivable	66,229
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	5,873	4,821
Goodwill	467	661
Intangible Assets, Net	1,038	1,240
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	46,838	35,615
Total Assets	278,407	213,730
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	3,476	3,525
Accrued payroll and related taxes	14,372	15,049
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	18,555	14,496
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	12,581	17,978
Total current liabilities	48,984	51,048
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	(7)	17
Intercompany Payable	18,330	14,279
Other Non-Current Liabilities	19,507	639
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	131,968	66,153
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	59,311	81,140
Noncontrolling interests	314	454
Total shareholders’ equity	59,625	81,594
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	278,407	213,730
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
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,081,728)	(1,071,153)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,294,113)	(1,319,551)
Other Non-Current Assets	(80,043)	(79,691)
Total Assets	(2,457,038)	(2,471,549)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(1,154)	(1,154)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,154)	(1,154)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,081,728)	(1,071,153)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(80,034)	(79,691)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(1,294,122)	(1,319,551)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,294,122)	(1,319,551)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,457,038)	$ (2,471,549)