Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Income from Continuing Operations		$ 37,981	$ 38,965	$ 38,898	$ 27,996	$ 139,315	$ 143,840	$ 117,462
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interests						123	90	(62)
Income from continuing operations attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.						$ 139,438	$ 143,930	$ 117,400
Basic earnings per share:
Basic (in shares)						73,696,000	72,270,000	71,116,000
Per share amount from continuing operations attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:	[1]					$ 1.89	$ 1.99	$ 1.65
Diluted earnings per share:
Weighted average shares outstanding						73,696,000	72,270,000	71,116,000
Diluted effect of equity incentive plans						299,000	277,000	489,000
Weighted average shares assuming dilution						73,995,000	72,547,000	71,605,000
Per share amount from continuing operations attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:	[1]					$ 1.88	$ 1.98	$ 1.64
Stock Options
Diluted earnings per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share						240,462	65,168	60,011
Restricted Stock Award
Diluted earnings per share:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share						210,074	0	0

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