Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 554,376	$ 469,866	$ 1,612,911	$ 1,343,181
Operating expenses	415,659	345,966	1,221,002	997,812
Depreciation and amortization	28,783	27,127	85,886	78,628
General and administrative expenses	37,483	33,742	108,448	97,764
Total operating income from segments	72,451	63,031	197,575	168,977
Interest income	7,928	2,992	18,387	7,933
Interest expense	(33,428)	(27,314)	(93,864)	(78,610)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	(15,885)	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	46,951	38,709	106,213	98,300
Income tax provision	4,970	1,758	12,000	6,954
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,693	1,340	4,943	3,949
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	46	21	123	79
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	43,720	38,312	99,279	95,374
Net income	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	483	(6,441)	(2,983)	(7,315)
Total comprehensive income	44,157	31,850	96,173	87,980
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	36	64	104	145
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	44,193	31,914	96,277	88,125
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	173,920	175,353	515,971	481,102
Operating expenses	144,748	142,002	418,261	399,557
Depreciation and amortization	6,339	6,007	18,866	18,592
General and administrative expenses	11,727	12,285	34,548	33,657
Total operating income from segments	11,106	15,059	44,296	29,296
Interest income	4,765	5,820	15,646	17,733
Interest expense	(16,324)	(15,419)	(49,031)	(45,264)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		(15,885)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	(453)	5,460	(4,974)	1,765
Income tax provision	(9)	0	(101)	(62)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	(444)	5,460	(4,873)	1,827
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	44,118	32,831	104,029	93,468
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Net income	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	43,674	38,291	99,156	95,295
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	410,329	369,004	1,215,469	1,076,373
Operating expenses	314,009	288,303	957,704	843,498
Depreciation and amortization	21,502	20,002	64,159	56,881
General and administrative expenses	18,180	16,876	53,396	50,684
Total operating income from segments	56,638	43,823	140,210	125,310
Interest income	422	431	1,440	2,510
Interest expense	(13,525)	(14,320)	(41,401)	(43,700)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	43,535	29,934	100,249	84,120
Income tax provision	4,032	869	9,323	4,199
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	39,503	29,065	90,926	79,921
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.	39,503	29,065	90,926	79,921
Net income	39,503	29,065	90,926	79,921
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	33	43	98	120
Total comprehensive income	39,536	29,108	91,024	80,041
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	39,536	29,108	91,024	80,041
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	112,708	65,388	306,484	191,876
Operating expenses	99,483	55,540	270,050	160,927
Depreciation and amortization	942	1,118	2,861	3,155
General and administrative expenses	7,576	4,581	20,504	13,423
Total operating income from segments	4,707	4,149	13,069	14,371
Interest income	8,029	2,870	18,699	8,189
Interest expense	(8,867)	(3,704)	(20,830)	(10,145)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	3,869	3,315	10,938	12,415
Income tax provision	947	889	2,778	2,817
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision	1,693	1,340	4,943	3,949
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	4,615	3,766	13,103	13,547
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0		0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	46	21	123	79
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	4,661	3,787	13,226	13,626
Net income	4,615	3,766	13,103	13,547
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	450	(6,484)	(3,081)	(7,435)
Total comprehensive income	5,065	(2,718)	10,022	6,112
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	36	64	104	145
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	5,101	(2,654)	10,126	6,257
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(142,581)	(139,879)	(425,013)	(406,170)
Operating expenses	(142,581)	(139,879)	(425,013)	(406,170)
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	(5,288)	(6,129)	(17,398)	(20,499)
Interest expense	5,288	6,129	17,398	20,499
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	(44,118)	(32,831)	(104,029)	(93,468)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(44,118)	(32,831)	(104,029)	(93,468)
Net income	(44,118)	(32,831)	(104,029)	(93,468)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(44,118)	(32,831)	(104,029)	(93,468)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (44,118)	$ (32,831)	$ (104,029)	$ (93,468)