Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 434,559	$ 68,038	$ 23,225	$ 59,638
Restricted cash and investments, current	16,839	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	307,491	356,255
Contract receivable, current portion	237,649	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	28,992	32,210
Total current assets	1,025,530	697,669
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	21,678	20,848
Property and equipment, net	1,909,698	1,897,241
Non-Current Contract Receivable	302,836	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	30,039	30,039
Goodwill	615,458	615,433
Intangible Assets, Net	198,810	203,884
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	62,966	64,512
Total Assets	4,167,015	3,749,409
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	84,858	79,637
Accrued payroll and related taxes	51,282	55,260
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	119,908	131,096
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	255,123	238,065
Total current liabilities	511,171	504,058
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	89,308	88,656
Capital Lease Obligations	7,098	7,431
Long-Term Debt	2,089,499	1,935,465
Non-recourse debt	224,291	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,245,782	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	(134)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,245,648	974,957
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,167,015	3,749,409
The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	399,480	45,566	11,558	37,077
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	7,554	842	0	0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	27,525	21,630	$ 11,667	$ 22,561
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	399,480	45,566
Restricted cash and investments, current	1,269	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	117,889	139,571
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	508	677
Total current assets	519,146	185,814
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	(1,079)	170
Property and equipment, net	735,780	735,104
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	922,070	918,527
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	764	764
Goodwill	79	79
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,224,749	1,238,772
Other Non-Current Assets	14,118	15,011
Total Assets	3,415,626	3,094,241
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	12,896	8,402
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	40,514	36,792
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	3,000
Total current liabilities	61,410	48,194
Intercompany Payable	109,991	133,039
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4,746	2,487
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,000,819	1,935,465
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,238,660	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,238,660	975,056
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,415,626	3,094,241
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	7,554	842
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	171,189	200,239
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	23,978	24,096
Total current assets	202,721	225,177
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	21,047	19,742
Property and equipment, net	1,088,196	1,078,220
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	118,807	141,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	17,461	17,918
Goodwill	614,941	614,941
Intangible Assets, Net	198,066	203,138
Investment in Subsidiaries	453,583	453,635
Other Non-Current Assets	108,416	108,434
Total Assets	2,823,238	2,863,192
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	45,108	50,200
Accrued payroll and related taxes	35,468	41,230
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	65,159	83,906
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,742	1,700
Total current liabilities	147,477	177,036
Intercompany Payable	924,252	920,825
Other Non-Current Liabilities	145,585	144,383
Capital Lease Obligations	7,098	7,431
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,598,826	1,613,517
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,598,826	1,613,517
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	2,823,238	2,863,192
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	27,525	21,630
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,570	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	18,413	16,445
Contract receivable, current portion	237,649	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,506	7,437
Total current assets	303,663	286,678
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	1,711	936
Property and equipment, net	85,722	83,917
Non-Current Contract Receivable	302,836	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	28,252	27,290
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,814	11,357
Goodwill	438	413
Intangible Assets, Net	744	746
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	20,185	20,933
Total Assets	757,555	654,243
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	26,854	21,035
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,814	14,030
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	14,235	10,398
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	245,381	233,365
Total current liabilities	302,284	278,828
Intercompany Payable	34,886	33,940
Other Non-Current Liabilities	18,730	21,652
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	88,680	0
Non-recourse debt	224,291	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	88,818	81,080
Noncontrolling interests	(134)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	88,684	80,981
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	757,555	654,243
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,069,129)	(1,087,804)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,680,522)	(1,694,597)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,753)	(79,866)
Total Assets	(2,829,404)	(2,862,267)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	0	0
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,069,129)	(1,087,804)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,753)	(79,866)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	(1,680,522)	(1,694,597)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,680,522)	(1,694,597)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (2,829,404)	$ (2,862,267)