Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities		$ 111,164	$ 164,625
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		49	515
Insurance proceeds - damaged property		1,270	0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration			(13,025)
Change in restricted cash and investments		(11,136)	(6,052)
Capital expenditures		(100,844)	(77,713)
Net cash used in investing activities		(442,466)	(96,275)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt		642,000	459,384
Payments on long-term debt		(222,675)	(509,132)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares			(1,844)
Payments on non-recourse debt		(6,366)	(4,511)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		70,117	74,191
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards		(2,748)	(1,844)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP		321	277
Debt issuance costs - deferred		(5,217)	(23,508)
Tax benefit related to equity compensation		1,252	1,498
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	$ 54,724	0	54,724
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options		2,513	6,384
Cash dividends paid		(138,454)	(124,084)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		340,743	(66,621)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		(3,647)	(1,174)
Net increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents		5,794	555
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period		41,337	52,125
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	47,131	47,131	52,680
The GEO Group, Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities		72,063	149,460
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		101	(212)
Capital expenditures		(51,084)	(41,020)
Net cash used in investing activities		(358,386)	(41,232)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt		642,000	459,384
Payments on long-term debt		(222,675)	(508,400)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares			(1,844)
Payments on non-recourse debt		0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		0	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards		(2,748)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP		321	277
Debt issuance costs - deferred		0	(7,802)
Tax benefit related to equity compensation		1,252	1,498
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			54,724
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options		2,513	6,384
Cash dividends paid		(138,454)	(124,084)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		282,209	(119,863)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0
Net increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(4,114)	(11,635)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period		18,492	30,730
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	14,378	14,378	19,095
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities		74,464	53,506
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		49	515
Insurance proceeds - damaged property		1,270
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration			(13,025)
Change in restricted cash and investments		(1,957)	(2,073)
Capital expenditures		(47,833)	(34,432)
Net cash used in investing activities		(72,873)	(49,015)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt		0	0
Payments on long-term debt		0	(732)
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares			0
Payments on non-recourse debt		0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		0	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 - deferred		0	0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation		0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			0
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options		0	0
Cash dividends paid		0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		0	(732)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		0	0
Net increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents		1,591	3,759
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period		782	985
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	2,373	2,373	4,744
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities		(35,363)	(38,341)
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		(9,280)	(3,767)
Capital expenditures		(1,927)	(2,261)
Net cash used in investing activities		(11,207)	(6,028)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt		0	0
Payments on long-term debt		0	0
Indirect repurchases of treasury shares			0
Payments on non-recourse debt		(6,366)	(4,511)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		70,117	74,191
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 - deferred		(5,217)	(15,706)
Tax benefit related to equity compensation		0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			0
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options		0	0
Cash dividends paid		0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		58,534	53,974
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents		(3,647)	(1,174)
Net increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents		8,317	8,431
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period		22,063	20,410
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	30,380	30,380	$ 28,841
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period		0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0