Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 548,350	$ 445,945	$ 1,058,535	$ 873,314
Operating expenses	416,837	333,930	805,343	651,839
Depreciation and amortization	28,652	26,560	57,103	51,501
General and administrative expenses	36,904	32,174	70,965	64,022
Total operating income from segments	65,957	53,281	125,124	105,952
Interest income	5,902	2,868	10,459	4,941
Interest expense	(31,089)	(26,651)	(60,455)	(51,297)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(15,866)	0	(15,866)	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	24,904	29,498	59,262	59,596
Income tax provision	3,879	2,369	7,030	5,196
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,131	1,124	3,250	2,610
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
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
Net income	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(2,578)	4,850	(3,476)	(874)
Total comprehensive income	20,578	33,103	52,006	56,136
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	52	43	68	81
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	20,630	33,146	52,074	56,217
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	174,414	161,365	342,051	305,748
Operating expenses	135,603	141,323	273,513	257,548
Depreciation and amortization	6,265	6,381	12,527	12,585
General and administrative expenses	14,846	11,049	22,821	21,372
Total operating income from segments	17,700	2,612	33,190	14,243
Interest income	5,440	5,735	10,881	11,914
Interest expense	(16,369)	(15,537)	(32,726)	(29,847)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(15,866)		(15,866)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	(9,095)	(7,190)	(4,521)	(3,690)
Income tax provision	(101)	(61)	(91)	(61)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	(8,994)	(7,129)	(4,430)	(3,629)
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	32,150	35,382	59,912	60,639
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Net income	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	23,156	28,253	55,482	57,010
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	404,798	367,482	805,140	707,369
Operating expenses	323,791	286,414	643,695	555,195
Depreciation and amortization	21,424	19,182	42,657	36,879
General and administrative expenses	15,250	16,928	35,216	33,808
Total operating income from segments	44,333	44,958	83,572	81,487
Interest income	409	847	1,018	2,078
Interest expense	(13,932)	(14,743)	(27,876)	(29,379)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	30,810	31,062	56,714	54,186
Income tax provision	3,099	1,588	5,290	3,328
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	27,711	29,474	51,424	50,858
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0		0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	27,711	29,474	51,424	50,858
Net income	27,711	29,474	51,424	50,858
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	33	40	65	77
Total comprehensive income	27,744	29,514	51,489	50,935
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	27,744	29,514	51,489	50,935
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	112,811	61,521	193,776	126,488
Operating expenses	101,116	50,616	170,567	105,387
Depreciation and amortization	963	997	1,919	2,037
General and administrative expenses	6,808	4,197	12,928	8,842
Total operating income from segments	3,924	5,711	8,362	10,222
Interest income	6,013	3,183	10,670	5,319
Interest expense	(6,748)	(3,268)	(11,963)	(6,441)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	3,189	5,626	7,069	9,100
Income tax provision	881	842	1,831	1,929
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,131	1,124	3,250	2,610
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	4,439	5,908	8,488	9,781
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0		0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	53	38	77	58
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	4,492	5,946	8,565	9,839
Net income	4,439	5,908	8,488	9,781
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(2,611)	4,810	(3,541)	(951)
Total comprehensive income	1,828	10,718	4,947	8,830
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	52	43	68	81
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,880	10,761	5,015	8,911
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(143,673)	(144,423)	(282,432)	(266,291)
Operating expenses	(143,673)	(144,423)	(282,432)	(266,291)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Total operating income from segments	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(5,960)	(6,897)	(12,110)	(14,370)
Interest expense	5,960	6,897	12,110	14,370
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	(32,150)	(35,382)	(59,912)	(60,639)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(32,150)	(35,382)	(59,912)	(60,639)
Net income	(32,150)	(35,382)	(59,912)	(60,639)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(32,150)	(35,382)	(59,912)	(60,639)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (32,150)	$ (35,382)	$ (59,912)	$ (60,639)