Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ 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
Income Statement [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 (excluding depreciation and amortization)										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 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 (Benefit) for Income Taxes										7,389		14,093		(26,050)
Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, net of income tax provision of $2,038, $2,302 and $2,389										5,533		5,823		6,265
Income from Continuing Operations						37,981	38,965	38,898	27,996	139,315		143,840		117,462
Loss from Discontinued Operations, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0										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
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic (in shares)										73,696		72,270		71,116
Diluted (in shares)										73,995		72,547		71,605
Basic earnings per share
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1]									$ 1.89		$ 1.99		$ 1.65
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1]									0.00		0.00		(0.03)
Net income per share — basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.60	$ 0.52	$ 0.38	$ 0.39	$ 0.52	$ 0.54	$ 0.54	$ 0.39	1.89	[1]	1.99	[1]	1.62	[1]
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	[1]									1.88		1.98		1.64
Loss from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	[1]									0.00		0.00		(0.03)
Net income per share — diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.59	$ 0.52	$ 0.38	$ 0.39	$ 0.52	$ 0.54	$ 0.54	$ 0.39	$ 1.88	[1]	$ 1.98	[1]	$ 1.61	[1]

[1] Note that earnings per share tables may contain summation differences due to rounding.