Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [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
Total operating income from segments	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 (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,124	1,174	2,610	2,658
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
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
Other comprehensive income (loss)	4,850	641	(874)	1,683
Total comprehensive income	33,103	39,539	56,136	68,577
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	43	5	81	2
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	33,146	39,544	56,217	68,579
The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	161,365	139,083	305,748	273,837
Operating expenses	141,323	111,191	257,548	218,413
Depreciation and amortization	6,381	6,441	12,585	12,847
General and administrative expenses	11,049	9,082	21,372	18,421
Total operating income from segments	2,612	12,369	14,243	24,156
Interest income	5,735	5,079	11,914	10,615
Interest expense	(15,537)	(11,123)	(29,847)	(22,197)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	(7,190)	6,325	(3,690)	12,574
Provision for income taxes	(61)	0	(61)	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	(7,129)	6,325	(3,629)	12,574
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	35,382	32,573	60,639	54,320
Net income			57,010
Net income	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	28,253	38,898	57,010	66,894
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	367,482	327,427	707,369	642,412
Operating expenses	286,414	251,833	555,195	502,513
Depreciation and amortization	19,182	16,169	36,879	32,803
General and administrative expenses	16,928	15,355	33,808	30,891
Total operating income from segments	44,958	44,070	81,487	76,205
Interest income	847	615	2,078	1,051
Interest expense	(14,743)	(13,357)	(29,379)	(27,121)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	31,062	31,328	54,186	50,135
Provision for income taxes	1,588	2,671	3,328	3,965
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	29,474	28,657	50,858	46,170
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income			50,858
Net income	29,474	28,657	50,858	46,170
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	29,474	28,657	50,858	46,170
Other comprehensive income (loss)	40	20	77	39
Total comprehensive income	29,514	28,677	50,935	46,209
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	29,514	28,677	50,935	46,209
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	61,521	56,760	126,488	109,091
Operating expenses	50,616	47,461	105,387	90,415
Depreciation and amortization	997	1,138	2,037	2,240
General and administrative expenses	4,197	3,711	8,842	7,338
Total operating income from segments	5,711	4,450	10,222	9,098
Interest income	3,183	750	5,319	1,429
Interest expense	(3,268)	(1,742)	(6,441)	(3,475)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	5,626	3,458	9,100	7,052
Provision for income taxes	842	716	1,929	1,560
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,124	1,174	2,610	2,658
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	5,908	3,916	9,781	8,150
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income			9,781
Net income	5,908	3,916	9,781	8,150
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	38		58	(6)
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	5,946	3,916	9,839	8,144
Other comprehensive income (loss)	4,810	621	(951)	1,644
Total comprehensive income	10,718	4,537	8,830	9,794
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	43	5	81	2
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	10,761	4,542	8,911	9,796
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(144,423)	(110,427)	(266,291)	(219,360)
Operating expenses	(144,423)	(110,427)	(266,291)	(219,360)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Total operating income from segments	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(6,897)	(5,620)	(14,370)	(11,539)
Interest expense	6,897	5,620	14,370	11,539
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	(35,382)	(32,573)	(60,639)	(54,320)
Net income			(60,639)
Net income	$ (35,382)	(32,573)	(60,639)	(54,320)
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests			0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (35,382)	(32,573)	(60,639)	(54,320)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(35,382)	(32,573)	(60,639)	(54,320)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (35,382)	$ (32,573)	$ (60,639)	$ (54,320)