Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 445,945	$ 412,843	$ 873,314	$ 805,980
Operating expenses	333,930	300,058	651,839	591,981
Depreciation and amortization	26,560	23,748	51,501	47,890
General and administrative expenses	32,174	28,148	64,022	56,650
Operating income	53,281	60,889	105,952	109,459
Interest income	2,868	824	4,941	1,556
Interest expense	(26,651)	(20,602)	(51,297)	(41,254)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	29,498	41,111	59,596	69,761
Provision for income taxes	2,369	3,387	5,196	5,525
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision of $516, $654, $1,128 and $1,203, respectively	1,124	1,174	2,610	2,658
Net income	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	38	0	58	(6)
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 28,291	$ 38,898	$ 57,068	$ 66,888
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	73,665	71,749	73,607	71,599
Diluted (in shares)	73,903	71,994	73,894	71,875
Basic:
Income per common share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc. - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.54	$ 0.78	$ 0.93
Diluted:
Income per common share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc. - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.38	0.54	0.77	0.93
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.62	$ 0.57	$ 1.24	$ 1.14