Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 469,866	$ 457,900	$ 1,343,181	$ 1,263,880
Operating expenses	345,966	342,216	997,812	934,197
Depreciation and amortization	27,127	24,079	78,628	71,969
General and administrative expenses	33,742	28,287	97,764	84,937
Total operating income from segments	63,031	63,318	168,977	172,777
Interest income	2,992	1,048	7,933	2,604
Interest expense	(27,314)	(21,408)	(78,610)	(62,662)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	38,709	42,958	98,300	112,719
Income tax provision (benefit)	1,758	5,537	6,954	11,062
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,340	1,544	3,949	4,202
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Net income	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Net 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
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(6,441)	(7,983)	(7,315)	(6,301)
Total comprehensive income	31,850	30,982	87,980	99,558
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	64	49	145	51
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	31,914	31,031	88,125	99,609
The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	175,353	141,631	481,102	415,468
Operating expenses	142,002	115,580	399,557	333,992
Depreciation and amortization	6,007	6,395	18,592	19,242
General and administrative expenses	12,285	8,352	33,657	26,773
Total operating income from segments	15,059	11,304	29,296	35,461
Interest income	5,820	5,593	17,733	16,208
Interest expense	(15,419)	(11,716)	(45,264)	(33,913)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	5,460	5,181	1,765	17,756
Income tax provision (benefit)	0	0	(62)	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	5,460	5,181	1,827	17,756
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	32,831	33,784	93,468	88,103
Net income			95,295
Net income	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	38,291	38,965	95,295	105,859
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	369,004	337,769	1,076,373	980,181
Operating expenses	288,303	257,645	843,498	760,159
Depreciation and amortization	20,002	16,554	56,881	49,357
General and administrative expenses	16,876	14,295	50,684	45,186
Total operating income from segments	43,823	49,275	125,310	125,479
Interest income	431	966	2,510	2,017
Interest expense	(14,320)	(14,258)	(43,700)	(41,379)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	29,934	35,983	84,120	86,117
Income tax provision (benefit)	869	4,528	4,199	8,493
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	29,065	31,455	79,921	77,624
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income			79,921
Net income	29,065	31,455	79,921	77,624
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	29,065	31,455	79,921	77,624
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	43	19	120	58
Total comprehensive income	29,108	31,474	80,041	77,682
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	29,108	31,474	80,041	77,682
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	65,388	92,300	191,876	201,391
Operating expenses	55,540	82,791	160,927	173,206
Depreciation and amortization	1,118	1,130	3,155	3,370
General and administrative expenses	4,581	5,640	13,423	12,978
Total operating income from segments	4,149	2,739	14,371	11,837
Interest income	2,870	953	8,189	2,382
Interest expense	(3,704)	(1,898)	(10,145)	(5,373)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	3,315	1,794	12,415	8,846
Income tax provision (benefit)	889	1,009	2,817	2,569
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,340	1,544	3,949	4,202
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	3,766	2,329	13,547	10,479
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income			13,547
Net income	3,766	2,329	13,547	10,479
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	21	26	79	20
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	3,787	2,355	13,626	10,499
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(6,484)	(8,002)	(7,435)	(6,359)
Total comprehensive income	(2,718)	(5,673)	6,112	4,120
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	64	49	145	51
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(2,654)	(5,624)	6,257	4,171
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(139,879)	(113,800)	(406,170)	(333,160)
Operating expenses	(139,879)	(113,800)	(406,170)	(333,160)
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	(6,129)	(6,464)	(20,499)	(18,003)
Interest expense	6,129	6,464	20,499	18,003
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Income tax provision (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	(32,831)	(33,784)	(93,468)	(88,103)
Net income			(93,468)
Net income	$ (32,831)	(33,784)	(93,468)	(88,103)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (32,831)	(33,784)	(93,468)	(88,103)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(32,831)	(33,784)	(93,468)	(88,103)
Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (32,831)	$ (33,784)	$ (93,468)	$ (88,103)