Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Net income	$ 38,291	$ 38,965	$ 95,295	$ 105,859
Net income loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	21	26	79	20
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 38,312	$ 38,991	$ 95,374	$ 105,879
Basic earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding	73,757,000	72,380,000	73,658,000	71,862,000
Per share amount	$ 0.52	$ 0.54	$ 1.29	$ 1.47
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding	73,757,000	72,380,000	73,658,000	71,862,000
Dilutive effect of equity incentive plans (shares)	162,000	257,000	248,000	268,000
Weighted average shares assuming dilution	73,919,000	72,637,000	73,906,000	72,130,000
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.52	$ 0.54	$ 1.29	$ 1.47
Restricted Stock
Basic and diluted earnings per share (Textual) [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share		0	201,102	288
Stock Options
Basic and diluted earnings per share (Textual) [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	403,695	258,688	192,079	165,965