Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	$ (28,028)	$ 142,157	$ 202,541
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration	0	(307,404)	0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	0	0	(13,025)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,030	42	699
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	4,733	1,270	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(9,558)	(4,805)	5,380
Capital expenditures	(81,565)	(117,581)	(114,224)
Net cash used in investing activities	(84,360)	(452,880)	(121,170)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(934,006)	(311,985)	(678,099)
Proceeds from long term debt	1,012,945	724,798	654,000
Payments on non-recourse debt	(10,064)	(11,908)	(18,627)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	266,835	123,560	87,896
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(2,336)	(2,786)	(1,844)
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	(1,626)	1,409	2,035
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		(2,786)
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(21,115)	(7,069)	(26,420)
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	3,347	2,774	7,281
Dividends paid	(194,748)	(186,984)	(170,234)
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	436	441	387
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement	0	0	54,725
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	119,668	332,250	(88,900)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,120	(3,226)	(3,259)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	8,400	18,301	(10,788)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	59,638	41,337	52,125
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	68,038	59,638	41,337
The GEO Group Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	154,125	153,861	185,721
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration		(307,404)
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,030	0	0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(24)	90	61
Capital expenditures	(14,040)	(55,629)	(58,188)
Net cash used in investing activities	(12,034)	(362,943)	(58,127)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(934,006)	(311,985)	(677,000)
Proceeds from long term debt	1,012,945	724,798	654,000
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(2,336)		(1,844)
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	(844)	1,409	2,035
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		(2,786)
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(16,980)	0	(9,182)
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	2,367	2,774	7,281
Dividends paid	(194,748)	(186,984)	(170,234)
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0	441	387
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			54,725
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(133,602)	227,667	(139,832)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	8,489	18,585	(12,238)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	37,077	18,492	30,730
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	45,566	37,077	18,492
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	66,009	84,795	63,154
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration		0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			(13,025)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	42	746
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(3,356)	(2,658)	2,571
Capital expenditures	(61,811)	(59,829)	(52,550)
Net cash used in investing activities	(65,167)	(85,577)	(62,258)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0		(1,099)
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0		0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	0	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		0
Debt issuance costs - deferred	0	0	0
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	0	0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0	(1,099)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	842	(782)	(203)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	0	782	985
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	842	0	782
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(248,162)	(96,499)	(46,334)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration		0
Acquisition of Protocol, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	(47)
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	4,733
Change in restricted cash and investments	(6,178)	(2,237)	2,748
Capital expenditures	(5,714)	(2,123)	(3,486)
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,159)	(4,360)	(785)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(10,064)	(11,908)	(18,627)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	266,835	123,560	87,896
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0		0
Tax benefit related to equity compensation	(782)	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		0
Debt issuance costs - deferred	(4,135)	(7,069)	(17,238)
Proceeds from the stock options exercised	980	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from reissuance of treasury stock in connection with ESPP	436	0	0
Issuance of common stock under prospectus supplement			0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	253,270	104,583	52,031
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	1,120	(3,226)	(3,259)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(931)	498	1,653
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	22,561	22,063	20,410
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 21,630	$ 22,561	$ 22,063