Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 566,579	$ 554,376	$ 548,350	$ 510,185	$ 500,127	$ 469,866	$ 445,945	$ 427,369	$ 2,179,490	$ 1,843,307	$ 1,691,620
Operating expenses									1,650,281	1,363,782	1,245,700
Depreciation and amortization									114,916	106,756	96,171
General and administrative expenses									148,709	137,040	115,018
Operating income	68,008	72,452	65,957	59,167	66,745	63,031	53,281	52,672	265,584	235,729	234,731
Interest Income									28,496	11,578	4,747
Interest Expense									(128,718)	(106,136)	(87,368)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									(15,885)	0	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									149,477	141,171	152,110
Provision for Income Taxes									7,904	7,389	14,093
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									6,925	5,533	5,823
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									148,498	139,315	143,840
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Net Income	49,342	43,674	23,156	32,326	44,015	38,291	28,253	28,756	148,498	139,315	143,840
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									217	123	90
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 49,436	$ 43,720	$ 23,209	$ 32,350	44,058	$ 38,312	$ 28,291	$ 28,777	148,715	139,438	143,930
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax					(5,035)				1,598	(5,035)	(23,082)
Total comprehensive income									150,096	134,280	120,758
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									198	215	140
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									150,294	$ 134,495	120,898
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues					664,741				697,292		558,764
Operating expenses					546,100				560,694		449,805
Depreciation and amortization					24,711				25,224		25,605
General and administrative expenses					47,553				47,354		36,437
Operating income					46,377				64,020		46,917
Interest Income					23,771				20,409		22,327
Interest Expense					(61,293)				(65,018)		(47,622)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									(15,885)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates					8,855				3,526		21,622
Provision for Income Taxes					1,083				1,124		729
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries					7,772				2,402		20,893
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision					131,543				146,096		122,947
Net Income					139,315				148,498		143,840
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					139,315				148,498		143,840
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax					0				0		0
Total comprehensive income					139,315				148,498		143,840
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					139,315				148,498		143,840
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues					1,462,540				1,626,690		1,315,024
Operating expenses					1,143,679				1,283,447		1,014,713
Depreciation and amortization					77,582				85,852		66,077
General and administrative expenses					70,015				72,831		61,351
Operating income					171,264				184,560		172,883
Interest Income					3,059				1,842		3,103
Interest Expense					(57,431)				(55,295)		(56,195)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates					116,892				131,107		119,791
Provision for Income Taxes					1,797				2,108		9,152
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries					115,095				128,999		110,639
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Net Income					115,095				128,999		110,639
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					115,095				128,999		110,639
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax					1,276				(704)		(2,522)
Total comprehensive income					116,371				128,295		108,117
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					116,371				128,295		108,117
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues					272,204				420,019		264,216
Operating expenses					230,181				370,651		227,566
Depreciation and amortization					4,463				3,840		4,489
General and administrative expenses					19,472				28,524		17,230
Operating income					18,088				17,004		14,931
Interest Income					11,329				28,944		4,416
Interest Expense					(13,993)				(31,104)		(8,650)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates					15,424				14,844		10,697
Provision for Income Taxes					4,509				4,672		4,212
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision					5,533				6,925		5,823
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries					16,448				17,097		12,308
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Net Income					16,448				17,097		12,308
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					123				217		90
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					16,571				17,314		12,398
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax					(6,311)				2,302		(20,560)
Total comprehensive income					10,137				19,399		(8,252)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					215				198		140
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					10,352				19,597		(8,112)
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues					(556,178)				(564,511)		(446,384)
Operating expenses					(556,178)				(564,511)		(446,384)
Depreciation and amortization					0				0		0
General and administrative expenses					0				0		0
Operating income					0				0		0
Interest Income					(26,581)				(22,699)		(25,099)
Interest Expense					26,581				22,699		25,099
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates					0				0		0
Provision for Income Taxes					0				0		0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision					0				0		0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries					0				0		0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision					(131,543)				(146,096)		(122,947)
Net Income					(131,543)				(146,096)		(122,947)
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					(131,543)				(146,096)		(122,947)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax					0				0		0
Total comprehensive income					(131,543)				(146,096)		(122,947)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests					0				0		0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.					$ (131,543)				$ (146,096)		$ (122,947)