Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, Net (Goodwill) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Changes in the Company's goodwill balances
Beginning balance	$ 615,438	$ 493,890
Acquisitions	0	121,608
Foreign currency translation	(5)	(60)
Ending balance	615,433	615,438
U.S. Corrections & Detention
Changes in the Company's goodwill balances
Beginning balance	277,774	170,376
Acquisitions	0	107,398
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Ending balance	277,774	277,774
GEO Community Services
Changes in the Company's goodwill balances
Beginning balance	337,257	323,047
Acquisitions	0	14,210
Foreign currency translation	0	0
Ending balance	337,257	337,257
International Services
Changes in the Company's goodwill balances
Beginning balance	407	467
Acquisitions	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(5)	(60)
Ending balance	$ 402	$ 407

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975

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Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

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Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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No definition available.

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