Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 79,798	$ 132,144
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration	(24,402)	0
Acquisition of LCS, net of cash acquired	(307,403)	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	123	514
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	901	0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration		(13,000)
Change in restricted cash and investments	(5,417)	(8,936)
Capital expenditures	(71,694)	(41,122)
Net cash used in investing activities	(407,892)	(62,544)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	518,000	9,000
Payments on long-term debt	(134,744)	(17,179)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares		(1,416)
Payments on non-recourse debt	(4,513)	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	49,731	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(1,784)	(1,416)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	218	185
Debt issuance costs	(2,438)	0
Income tax benefit related to equity compensation	651	1,351
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	2,037	5,531
Cash dividends paid	(92,254)	(82,656)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	334,904	(85,184)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(1,103)	819
Net increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	5,707	(14,765)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	41,337	52,125
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	47,044	37,360
The GEO Group, Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	39,103	76,863
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, net of cash acquired	(307,403)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration		0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(97)	(207)
Capital expenditures	(36,367)	(24,197)
Net cash used in investing activities	(343,867)	(24,404)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	518,000	9,000
Payments on long-term debt	(134,744)	(14,000)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares		(1,416)
Payments on non-recourse debt	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(1,784)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	218	185
Debt issuance costs	0
Income tax benefit related to equity compensation	651	1,351
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	2,037	5,531
Cash dividends paid	(92,254)	(82,656)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	292,124	(82,005)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(12,640)	(29,546)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	18,492	30,730
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	5,852	1,184
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	62,486	33,090
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration	(24,402)
Acquisition of LCS, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	123	514
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	901
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration		(13,000)
Change in restricted cash and investments	2,396	(1,917)
Capital expenditures	(34,273)	(16,671)
Net cash used in investing activities	(55,255)	(31,074)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	(82)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares		0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0
Income tax benefit related to equity compensation	0	0
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	(82)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	7,231	1,934
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	782	985
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	8,013	2,919
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	(21,791)	22,191
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration		0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(7,716)	(6,812)
Capital expenditures	(1,054)	(254)
Net cash used in investing activities	(8,770)	(7,066)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	(3,097)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares		0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(4,513)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	49,731
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	0
Debt issuance costs	(2,438)
Income tax benefit related to equity compensation	0	0
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	42,780	(3,097)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(1,103)	819
Net increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	11,116	12,847
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	22,063	20,410
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	33,179	$ 33,257
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 0