Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Net income	$ 23,156	$ 28,253	$ 55,482	$ 57,010
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	53	38	77	58
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 23,209	$ 28,291	$ 55,559	$ 57,068
Basic earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	74,044,000	73,665,000	73,960,000	73,607,000
Per share amount	$ 0.31	$ 0.38	$ 0.75	$ 0.78
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	74,044,000	73,665,000	73,960,000	73,607,000
Dilutive effect of equity incentive plans (shares)	275,000	238,000	294,000	287,000
Weighted average shares assuming dilution	74,319,000	73,903,000	74,254,000	73,894,000
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.31	$ 0.38	$ 0.75	$ 0.77
Stock Options
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	255,463	249,506	543,098	166,860
Restricted Stock
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	178,574	264,500	265,089	176,319