Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 68,038	$ 59,638	$ 41,337	$ 52,125
Restricted cash and investments, current	17,133	8,489
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	356,255	314,097
Current deferred income tax assets	0	27,914
Contract receivable, current portion	224,033	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	32,210	28,208
Total current assets	697,669	438,346
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	20,848	20,236
Property and equipment, net	1,897,241	1,916,386	1,772,166
Direct Finance Lease Receivable	0	1,826
Non-Current Contract Receivable	219,783	174,141
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	30,039	7,399
Goodwill	615,433	615,438	493,890
Intangible Assets, Net	203,884	224,148
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	64,512	64,307
Total Assets	3,749,409	3,462,227
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	79,637	77,523
Accrued payroll and related taxes	55,260	48,477
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	131,096	135,483
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	238,065	17,141
Total current liabilities	504,058	278,624
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	11,471
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	88,656	87,694
Capital Lease Obligations	7,431	8,693
Long-Term Debt	1,935,465	1,855,810
Non-Recourse Debt	238,842	213,098
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	975,056	1,006,738
Noncontrolling interests	(99)	99
Total shareholders’ equity	974,957	1,006,837	1,045,993	1,023,976
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,749,409	3,462,227
The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	45,566	37,077	18,492	30,730
Total Assets		2,997,643
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	842	0	782	985
Total Assets		2,803,359
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	21,630	22,561	$ 22,063	$ 20,410
Total Assets		360,553
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Reportable Legal Entities
ASSETS
Non-Current Contract Receivable		0
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	45,566	37,077
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	139,571	131,747
Current deferred income tax assets		0
Contract receivable, current portion	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	677	1,190
Total current assets	185,814	170,014
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	170	138
Property and equipment, net	735,104	746,478
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	918,527	971,291
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	764	710
Goodwill	79	79
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,238,772	1,106,546
Other Non-Current Assets	15,011	2,387
Total Assets	3,094,241
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	8,402	9,731
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	36,792	43,043
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	3,000	3,000
Total current liabilities	48,194	55,774
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities
Intercompany Payable	133,039	76,427
Other Non-Current Liabilities	2,487	2,894
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	1,935,465	1,855,810
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	975,056	1,006,738
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	975,056	1,006,738
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,094,241	2,997,643
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	842	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	200,239	162,538
Current deferred income tax assets		23,120
Contract receivable, current portion	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	24,096	17,917
Total current assets	225,177	203,575
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	19,742	16,386
Property and equipment, net	1,078,220	1,088,417
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	141,987	86,519
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	17,918	(102)
Goodwill	614,941	614,941
Intangible Assets, Net	203,138	223,426
Investment in Subsidiaries	453,635	453,636
Other Non-Current Assets	108,434	116,561
Total Assets	2,863,192
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	50,200	54,675
Accrued payroll and related taxes	41,230	35,516
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	83,906	78,510
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,700	1,477
Total current liabilities	177,036	170,178
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities		11,120
Intercompany Payable	920,825	967,048
Other Non-Current Liabilities	144,383	143,887
Capital Lease Obligations	7,431	8,693
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,613,517	1,502,433
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,613,517	1,502,433
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,863,192	2,803,359
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	21,630	22,561
Restricted cash and investments, current	17,133	8,489
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	16,445	19,812
Current deferred income tax assets		4,794
Contract receivable, current portion	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,437	10,310
Total current assets	286,678	65,966
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	936	3,712
Property and equipment, net	83,917	81,491
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		1,826
Non-Current Contract Receivable	219,783	174,141
Intercompany Receivable	27,290	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,357	6,791
Goodwill	413	418
Intangible Assets, Net	746	722
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	0
Other Non-Current Assets	20,933	25,486
Total Assets	654,243
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	21,035	13,117
Accrued payroll and related taxes	14,030	12,961
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	10,398	15,139
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	233,365	12,664
Total current liabilities	278,828	53,881
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities		351
Intercompany Payable	33,940	14,335
Other Non-Current Liabilities	21,652	21,040
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	238,842	213,098
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	81,080	57,749
Noncontrolling interests	(99)	99
Total shareholders’ equity	80,981	57,848
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	654,243	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
Contract receivable, current portion	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	(1,209)
Total current assets	0	(1,209)
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Direct Finance Lease Receivable		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,087,804)	(1,057,810)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,694,597)	(1,560,182)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,866)	(80,127)
Total Assets	(2,862,267)	(2,699,328)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	0	(1,209)
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	(1,209)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities		0
Intercompany Payable	(1,087,804)	(1,057,810)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,866)	(80,127)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(1,694,597)	(1,560,182)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,694,597)	(1,560,182)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,862,267)	$ (2,699,328)