Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 500,127	$ 469,866	$ 445,945	$ 427,369	$ 427,740	$ 457,900	$ 412,843	$ 393,137	$ 1,843,307	$ 1,691,620	$ 1,522,074
Operating expenses									1,363,782	1,245,700	1,124,865
Depreciation and amortization									106,756	96,171	94,664
General and administrative expenses									137,040	115,018	117,061
Operating income	66,745	63,031	53,281	52,672	61,954	63,318	60,889	48,570	235,729	234,731	185,484
Interest Income									11,578	4,747	3,324
Interest Expense									(106,136)	(87,368)	(83,004)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	0	(20,657)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations									141,171	152,110	85,147
Provision for Income Taxes									7,389	14,093	(26,050)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									5,533	5,823	6,265
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									139,315	143,840	117,462
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations					37,981	38,965	38,898	27,996	139,315	143,840	117,462
Net loss from discontinued operations									0	0	(2,265)
Net Income	44,015	38,291	28,253	28,756	37,981	38,965	38,898	27,996	139,315	143,840	115,197
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									123	90	(62)
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 44,058	$ 38,312	$ 28,291	$ 28,777	$ 38,051	$ 38,991	$ 38,898	$ 27,990	139,438	143,930	115,135
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									(5,035)	(23,082)	(7,199)
Total comprehensive income									134,280	120,758	107,998
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									215	140	38
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									134,495	120,898	108,036
The GEO Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									664,741	558,764	494,631
Operating expenses									546,100	449,805	410,270
Depreciation and amortization									24,711	25,605	24,355
General and administrative expenses									47,553	36,437	36,336
Operating income									46,377	46,917	23,670
Interest Income									23,771	22,327	25,275
Interest Expense									(61,293)	(47,622)	(41,121)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											(2,601)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations									8,855	21,622	5,223
Provision for Income Taxes									1,083	729	(34,835)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									7,772	20,893	40,058
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									131,543	122,947	77,404
Income from continuing operations									139,315		117,462
Net loss from discontinued operations											(2,265)
Net Income									139,315	143,840	115,197
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									139,315	143,840	115,197
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									139,315	143,840	115,197
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									139,315	143,840	115,197
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									1,462,540	1,315,024	1,218,835
Operating expenses									1,143,679	1,014,713	950,605
Depreciation and amortization									77,582	66,077	65,524
General and administrative expenses									70,015	61,351	64,573
Operating income									171,264	172,883	138,133
Interest Income									3,059	3,103	1,960
Interest Expense									(57,431)	(56,195)	(59,518)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											(18,056)
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations									116,892	119,791	62,519
Provision for Income Taxes									1,797	9,152	4,454
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									115,095	110,639	58,065
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									115,095		58,065
Net loss from discontinued operations											0
Net Income									115,095	110,639	58,065
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									115,095	110,639	58,065
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									1,276	(2,522)	914
Total comprehensive income									116,371	108,117	58,979
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									116,371	108,117	58,979
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									272,204	264,216	219,871
Operating expenses									230,181	227,566	175,253
Depreciation and amortization									4,463	4,489	4,785
General and administrative expenses									19,472	17,230	16,152
Operating income									18,088	14,931	23,681
Interest Income									11,329	4,416	2,566
Interest Expense									(13,993)	(8,650)	(8,842)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations									15,424	10,697	17,405
Provision for Income Taxes									4,509	4,212	4,331
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									5,533	5,823	6,265
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									16,448	12,308	19,339
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									16,448		19,339
Net loss from discontinued operations											0
Net Income									16,448	12,308	19,339
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									123	90	(62)
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									16,571	12,398	19,277
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									(6,311)	(20,560)	(8,113)
Total comprehensive income									10,137	(8,252)	11,226
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									215	140	38
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									10,352	(8,112)	11,264
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									(556,178)	(446,384)	(411,263)
Operating expenses									(556,178)	(446,384)	(411,263)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating income									0	0	0
Interest Income									(26,581)	(25,099)	(26,477)
Interest Expense									26,581	25,099	26,477
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Income before income taxes, equity in earnings of affiliates and discontinued operations									0	0	0
Provision for Income Taxes									0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									(131,543)	(122,947)	(77,404)
Income from continuing operations									(131,543)		(77,404)
Net loss from discontinued operations											0
Net Income									(131,543)	(122,947)	(77,404)
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									(131,543)	(122,947)	(77,404)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									(131,543)	(122,947)	(77,404)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									$ (131,543)	$ (122,947)	$ (77,404)