Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Contract Termination		$ 3,974
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations	202,541	192,189	255,187
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations	0	0	9,053
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	202,541	192,189	264,240
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(20,657)	(8,462)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF	0	0	(35,154)
Proceeds from RTS divestiture	0	0	33,253
Net working capital adjustment from RTS divestiture	0	(996)	0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(13,025)
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		(996)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	699	205	65
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0	1,969	5,641
Change in restricted cash and investments	5,380	17,412	51,189
Capital expenditures	(114,224)	(117,566)	(107,549)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations	(121,170)	(98,976)	(52,555)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations	0	0	(2,761)
Net cash used in investing activities	(121,170)	(98,976)	(55,316)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(678,099)	(1,134,544)	(456,485)
Proceeds from long term debt	654,000	1,238,000	358,000
Payments on non-recourse debt	(18,627)	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	87,896	0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	1,844	0	0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	2,035	2,197	621
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	0	0	(8,666)
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(26,420)	(23,834)	(1,398)
Debt issuance fees	0	(13,421)	(14,861)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	0	0	(5,758)
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	7,281	5,425	9,276
Cash dividends paid	(170,234)	(147,156)	(102,435)
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	(387)	(319)	(460)
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	54,725	0
Payment for retirement of treasury stock	0	0	(1,036)
Termination of interest rate swap agreements	1,121	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(88,900)	(69,040)	(222,282)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(3,259)	(3,803)	1,735
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(10,788)	20,370	(11,623)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	52,125	31,755	43,378
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	41,337	52,125	31,755
The GEO Group Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations			105,402
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations			5,810
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	185,721	142,923	111,212
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		(2,601)	0
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF			0
Proceeds from RTS divestiture			29,653
Net working capital adjustment from RTS divestiture	0
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		(996)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale		0	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	61	(167)	0
Capital expenditures	(58,188)	(79,150)	(61,426)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations			(31,773)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations			(634)
Net cash used in investing activities	(58,127)	(80,313)	(32,407)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(677,000)	(1,098,174)	(343,987)
Proceeds from long term debt	654,000	1,238,000	358,000
Payments on non-recourse debt	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	1,844
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	2,035	2,197	621
Payments for purchase of treasury shares			(8,666)
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(9,182)	(23,834)	(1,360)
Debt issuance fees		(13,421)	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interests			0
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	7,281	5,425	9,276
Cash dividends paid	(170,234)	(147,156)	(102,435)
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	(387)	(319)	(460)
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	54,725
Payment for retirement of treasury stock			(1,036)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(139,832)	(36,644)	(89,127)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(12,238)	25,966	(10,322)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	30,730	4,764	15,086
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	18,492	30,730	4,764
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Contract Termination		3,974
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations			84,896
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations			3,864
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	63,154	34,067	88,760
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		(18,056)	(8,462)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF			(35,154)
Proceeds from RTS divestiture			0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	13,025
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	746	205	65
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale		1,969	5,641
Change in restricted cash and investments	2,571	(3,205)	0
Capital expenditures	(52,550)	(36,815)	(42,406)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations			(71,854)
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations			(1,820)
Net cash used in investing activities	(62,258)	(37,846)	(73,674)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(1,099)	(1,127)	(1,400)
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	0	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares			0
Debt issuance costs - deferred	0	0	0
Debt issuance fees			(14,861)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests			0
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	0	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0	0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	0
Payment for retirement of treasury stock			0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,099)	2,847	(16,261)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(203)	(932)	(1,175)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	985	1,917	3,092
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	782	985	1,917
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - continuing operations			64,889
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities - discontinued operations			(621)
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(46,334)	15,199	64,268
Loss on early extinguishment of debt		0	0
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of ownership interests in MCF			0
Proceeds from RTS divestiture			3,600
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	0
Acquisition of BI and Cornell, cash consideration, net of cash acquired		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	(47)	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale		0	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	2,748	20,784	51,189
Capital expenditures	(3,486)	(1,601)	(3,717)
Cash used in investing activities - continuing operations			51,072
Cash (used in) provided by investing activities - discontinued operations			(307)
Net cash used in investing activities	(785)	19,183	50,765
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	(35,243)	(111,098)
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(18,627)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	87,896
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation	0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	0	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares			0
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(17,238)	0	(38)
Debt issuance fees			0
Distribution to noncontrolling interests			(5,758)
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	0	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0	0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	0
Payment for retirement of treasury stock			0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	52,031	(35,243)	(116,894)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(3,259)	(3,803)	1,735
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,653	(4,664)	(126)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	20,410	25,074	25,200
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 22,063	$ 20,410	$ 25,074