Letters of credit outstanding relating to performance guarantees.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Liability related to potential tax exposure.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum loan amount under SACS shareholder's loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

Number of letters of guarantee outstanding under separate international facilities relating to performance guarantees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Potential estimated exposure of tax obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Working capital line of credit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amounts due from an entity in which the reporting entity shares joint control with another party or group, due within 1 year (or 1 business cycle).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
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-Publisher FASB
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (d)
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Debt (Guarantees) (Details) £ in Millions, CAD in Millions, AUD in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) guarantee	Dec. 31, 2016 GBP (£) guarantee	Dec. 31, 2016 AUD guarantee	Dec. 31, 2016 CAD guarantee	Dec. 31, 2016 ZAR guarantee	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Liability related to potential tax exposure						$ 2,000,000
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture	50.00%
GEO Amey
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lines of credit	$ 12,000,000
Ravenhall
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of letters of guarantee outstanding under separate international facilities relating to performance guarantees \| guarantee	13	13	13	13	13
Letters of guarantee outstanding relating to performance guarantees	$ 19,000,000
SACS
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum exposure, undiscounted	500,000				ZAR 7,300,000
Maximum loan amount under stand by facility to SACS	1,500,000.0				ZAR 20,000,000
Canada Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Potential estimated exposure of tax obligations	1,100,000			CAD 1.5
Liability related to potential tax exposure	1,100,000
Revolver \| Letter of credit \| Ravenhall
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum exposure, undiscounted			AUD 215			$ 154,900,000
Other Noncurrent Assets \| GEO Amey
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Due from joint venture, current	$ 4,300,000	£ 3.5