Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 65,901	$ 68,038	$ 38,865	$ 59,638
Restricted cash and investments, current	17,378	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	342,361	356,255
Contract receivable, current portion	238,958	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	42,467	32,210
Total current assets	707,065	697,669
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	23,020	20,848
Property and equipment, net	2,049,613	1,897,241
Non-Current Contract Receivable	358,727	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	32,262	30,039
Goodwill	787,803	615,433
Intangible Assets, Net	268,345	203,884
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	66,933	64,512
Total Assets	4,293,768	3,749,409
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	98,027	79,637
Accrued payroll and related taxes	63,192	55,260
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	153,930	131,096
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	255,404	238,065
Total current liabilities	570,553	504,058
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	98,741	88,656
Capital Lease Obligations	6,787	7,431
Long-Term Debt	2,107,208	1,935,465
Non-recourse debt	283,780	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,226,883	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	(184)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,226,699	974,957
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,293,768	3,749,409
The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	30,576	45,566	14,727	37,077
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	6,882	842	0	0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	28,443	21,630	$ 24,138	$ 22,561
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	30,576	45,566
Restricted cash and investments, current	1,849	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	112,978	139,571
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,249	677
Total current assets	147,652	185,814
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	(1,659)	170
Property and equipment, net	744,674	735,104
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,122,898	918,527
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	763	764
Goodwill	79	79
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,315,016	1,238,772
Other Non-Current Assets	13,417	15,011
Total Assets	3,342,840	3,094,241
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	20,438	8,402
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	37,066	36,792
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	3,000
Total current liabilities	65,504	48,194
Intercompany Payable	35,092	133,039
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4,725	2,487
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,018,040	1,935,465
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,219,479	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,219,479	975,056
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,342,840	3,094,241
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	6,882	842
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	213,596	200,239
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	34,588	24,096
Total current assets	255,066	225,177
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	22,632	19,742
Property and equipment, net	1,217,685	1,078,220
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	93,918	141,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	19,685	17,918
Goodwill	787,284	614,941
Intangible Assets, Net	267,580	203,138
Investment in Subsidiaries	457,591	453,635
Other Non-Current Assets	112,567	108,434
Total Assets	3,234,008	2,863,192
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	60,099	50,200
Accrued payroll and related taxes	47,674	41,230
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	100,691	83,906
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,746	1,700
Total current liabilities	210,210	177,036
Intercompany Payable	1,174,881	920,825
Other Non-Current Liabilities	155,895	144,383
Capital Lease Obligations	6,787	7,431
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-recourse debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,686,235	1,613,517
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,686,235	1,613,517
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,234,008	2,863,192
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	28,443	21,630
Restricted cash and investments, current	15,529	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	15,787	16,445
Contract receivable, current portion	238,958	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	5,630	7,437
Total current assets	304,347	286,678
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	2,047	936
Property and equipment, net	87,254	83,917
Non-Current Contract Receivable	358,727	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	28,658	27,290
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,814	11,357
Goodwill	440	413
Intangible Assets, Net	765	746
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	20,589	20,933
Total Assets	816,831	654,243
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	17,490	21,035
Accrued payroll and related taxes	15,518	14,030
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	16,173	10,398
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	245,658	233,365
Total current liabilities	294,839	278,828
Intercompany Payable	35,501	33,940
Other Non-Current Liabilities	17,761	21,652
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	89,168	0
Non-recourse debt	283,780	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	95,966	81,080
Noncontrolling interests	(184)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	95,782	80,981
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	816,831	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	(1,245,474)	(1,087,804)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,774,797)	(1,694,597)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,640)	(79,866)
Total Assets	(3,099,911)	(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	(1,245,474)	(1,087,804)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,640)	(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	(1,774,797)	(1,694,597)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,774,797)	(1,694,597)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,099,911)	$ (2,862,267)