Summary of Business Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual) detainees in Thousands, bed in Thousands, $ in Thousands, £ in Millions	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) person facility detainees bed Bed shares	Dec. 31, 2016 GBP (£) person facility detainees bed Bed shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 GBP (£) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Summary of Business Organization
Number of beds | bed			87	87
Correctional, detention and residential treatment facilities including projects under development | facility			104	104
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders (more than 139,000 offenders) | person			174,000	174,000
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders using technology products | detainees			95	95
Common stock, shares authorized | shares			125,000,000	125,000,000	125,000,000	125,000,000	90,000,000
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents			$ 68,038		$ 59,638		$ 41,337	$ 52,125
Accounts Receivable
Minimum period for payment receivable in arrears for services			30 days
Maximum period for payment receivable in arrears for services			60 days
Notes Receivable
Interest rate for subordinated loan extended to the former joint venture partner			13.00%
Line of Credit, amount outstanding			$ 515,000		485,000
Federal and state income tax overpayments			9,400
Asset Impairments
Property and equipment, net			$ 1,897,241		1,916,386		$ 1,772,166
Number of vacant beds at its idle facilities | Bed			3,328	3,328
Number of marketed idle facilities | facility			4	4
Carrying values of idle facilities			$ 33,800
Debt Issuance Costs
Deferred debt issuance cost, accumulated amortization			40,200		28,800
Debt issuance costs included in other non-current assets			$ 48,900		50,500
Revenue based on performance of certain targets			1.00%
Facility management contracts
Other Intangible Assets
Amortization period			15 years 7 months 6 days
Foreign Subsidiaries
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents			$ 21,600		22,600
GEO Amey
Summary of Business Organization
Ownership percentage			50.00%	50.00%
Notes Receivable
Line of Credit, amount outstanding			$ 14,800	£ 12.0
Accrued interest included under line of credit	$ 1,500	£ 0.9
Minimum
Property and Equipment
Useful life			1 year
Minimum | Facility management contracts
Other Intangible Assets
Amortization period			3 years
Minimum | Technology
Other Intangible Assets
Amortization period			7 years
Maximum | Facility management contracts
Other Intangible Assets
Amortization period			20 years
Maximum | Technology
Other Intangible Assets
Amortization period			8 years
Building and Building Improvements | Minimum
Property and Equipment
Useful life			2 years
Building and Building Improvements | Maximum
Property and Equipment
Useful life			50 years
Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures | Minimum
Property and Equipment
Useful life			3 years
Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures | Maximum
Property and Equipment
Useful life			10 years
LIBOR | GEO Amey
Notes Receivable
Principal amount and accrued interest at LIBOR			3.00%
Base Rate, Bank of England | GEO Amey
Notes Receivable
Principal amount and accrued interest at LIBOR	0.50%	0.50%
Cornell Companies, Inc.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable one year past due and still accruing			1 year
Other Noncurrent Assets
Accounts Receivable
Trade receivables			$ 1,300		1,600
Notes Receivable
Notes receivable from its former joint venture partner			200		800
Other Noncurrent Assets | GEO Amey
Notes Receivable
Due from joint venture, current			$ 4,300	£ 3.5
Due from joint venture, non-current					$ 12,600	£ 8.5
The GEO Group Australia | Ravenhall
Notes Receivable
Facility, number of beds | Bed			1,300	1,300