Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 30,123	$ 59,638	$ 47,131	$ 41,337
Restricted cash and investments, current	102,652	8,489
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	341,454	314,097
Current deferred income tax assets	0	27,914
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	33,443	28,208
Total current assets	507,672	438,346
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	24,463	20,236
Property and equipment, net	1,908,053	1,916,386
Contract Receivable	388,729	174,141
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	1,826
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	24,154	7,399
Goodwill	615,457	615,438
Intangible Assets, Net	208,970	224,148
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	64,897	64,307
Total Assets	3,742,395	3,462,227
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	81,906	77,523
Accrued payroll and related taxes	46,947	48,477
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	144,384	135,483
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	15,638	17,141
Total current liabilities	288,875	278,624
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	11,471
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	92,081	87,694
Capital Lease Obligations	7,757	8,693
Long-Term Debt	1,893,980	1,855,810
Non-recourse debt	493,303	213,098
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	966,404	1,006,738
Noncontrolling interests	(5)	99
Total shareholders’ equity	966,399	1,006,837
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,742,395	3,462,227
The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5,136	37,077	14,378	18,492
Total Assets		2,997,643
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	2,373	782
Total Assets		2,803,359
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	24,987	22,561	$ 30,380	$ 22,063
Total Assets		360,553
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5,136	37,077
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	133,559	131,747
Current deferred income tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,534	1,190
Total current assets	142,229	170,014
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	162	138
Property and equipment, net	737,221	746,478
Contract Receivable	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Intercompany Receivable	1,025,018	971,291
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	713	710
Goodwill	79	79
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,111,728	1,106,546
Other Non-Current Assets	18,153	2,387
Total Assets	3,035,303
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	6,935	9,731
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	50,615	43,043
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,000	3,000
Total current liabilities	60,550	55,774
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0
Intercompany Payable	110,122	76,427
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4,247	2,894
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	1,893,980	1,855,810
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	966,404	1,006,738
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	966,404	1,006,738
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,035,303	2,997,643
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	190,585	162,538
Current deferred income tax assets	0	23,120
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	21,920	17,917
Total current assets	212,505	203,575
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	19,021	16,386
Property and equipment, net	1,087,820	1,088,417
Contract Receivable	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Intercompany Receivable	119,322	86,519
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,898	(102)
Goodwill	614,941	614,941
Intangible Assets, Net	208,209	223,426
Investment in Subsidiaries	453,635	453,636
Other Non-Current Assets	105,703	116,561
Total Assets	2,833,054
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	47,247	54,675
Accrued payroll and related taxes	31,464	35,516
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	81,013	78,510
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,581	1,477
Total current liabilities	161,305	170,178
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	11,120
Intercompany Payable	1,025,366	967,048
Other Non-Current Liabilities	142,555	143,887
Capital Lease Obligations	7,757	8,693
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,496,071	1,502,433
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,496,071	1,502,433
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,833,054	2,803,359
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	24,987	22,561
Restricted cash and investments, current	102,652	8,489
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	17,310	19,812
Current deferred income tax assets	0	4,794
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,352	10,310
Total current assets	154,301	65,966
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	5,280	3,712
Property and equipment, net	83,012	81,491
Contract Receivable	388,729	174,141
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		1,826
Intercompany Receivable	17,924	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,543	6,791
Goodwill	437	418
Intangible Assets, Net	761	722
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	0
Other Non-Current Assets	20,984	25,486
Total Assets	685,161
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	27,724	13,117
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,483	12,961
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	14,290	15,139
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	11,057	12,664
Total current liabilities	68,554	53,881
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	351
Intercompany Payable	26,776	14,335
Other Non-Current Liabilities	25,051	21,040
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	493,303	213,098
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	71,482	57,749
Noncontrolling interests	(5)	99
Total shareholders’ equity	71,477	57,848
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	685,161	360,553
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Current deferred income tax assets	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,363)	(1,209)
Total current assets	(1,363)	(1,209)
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,162,264)	(1,057,810)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,567,553)	(1,560,182)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,943)	(80,127)
Total Assets	(2,811,123)	(2,699,328)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(1,534)	(1,209)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(1,534)	(1,209)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,162,264)	(1,057,810)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,772)	(80,127)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	(1,567,553)	(1,560,182)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,567,553)	(1,560,182)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,811,123)	$ (2,699,328)