Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Abstract]
Net income	$ 40,366	$ 32,326
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	37	24
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 40,403	$ 32,350
Basic earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	113,599,000	110,813,000
Per share amount (USD per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.29
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	113,599,000	110,813,000
Dilutive effect of equity incentive plans (shares)	879,000	487,000
Weighted average shares assuming dilution	114,478,000	111,300,000
Income from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 0.35	$ 0.29
Stock Options
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	449,396	679,656
Restricted Stock
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	214,752	504,569