Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 51,526	$ 68,038	$ 30,123	$ 59,638
Restricted cash and investments	12,452	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	386,898	356,255
Contract receivable, current portion	243,531	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	36,073	32,210
Total current assets	730,480	697,669
Restricted Cash and Investments	31,032	20,848
Property and Equipment, Net	2,055,982	1,897,241
Non-Current Contract Receivable	405,780	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	31,831	30,039
Goodwill	781,972	615,433
Intangible Assets, Net	261,790	203,884
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	70,474	64,512
Total Assets	4,369,341	3,749,409
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	91,617	79,637
Accrued payroll and related taxes	48,780	55,260
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	174,321	131,096
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	260,046	238,065
Total current liabilities	574,764	504,058
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	92,804	88,656
Capital Lease Obligations	6,412	7,431
Long-Term Debt	2,157,882	1,935,465
Non-Recourse Debt	323,387	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,214,310	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	(218)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,214,092	974,957
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,369,341	3,749,409
The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	6,191	45,566	5,136	37,077
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	13,853	842	0	0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	31,482	21,630	$ 24,987	$ 22,561
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	6,191	45,566
Restricted cash and investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	129,730	139,571
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,921	677
Total current assets	138,842	185,814
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	170
Property and Equipment, Net	751,374	735,104
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,128,469	918,527
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	763	764
Goodwill	79	79
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,332,393	1,238,772
Other Non-Current Assets	12,714	15,011
Total Assets	3,364,634	3,094,241
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	8,573	8,402
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	48,090	36,792
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	3,000
Total current liabilities	64,663	48,194
Intercompany Payable	14,535	133,039
Other Non-Current Liabilities	4,120	2,487
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,067,008	1,935,465
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,214,308	975,056
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,214,308	975,056
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,364,634	3,094,241
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	13,853	842
Restricted cash and investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	241,031	200,239
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	28,033	24,096
Total current assets	282,917	225,177
Restricted Cash and Investments	24,387	19,742
Property and Equipment, Net	1,213,614	1,078,220
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	104,226	141,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	19,254	17,918
Goodwill	781,444	614,941
Intangible Assets, Net	261,053	203,138
Investment in Subsidiaries	456,075	453,635
Other Non-Current Assets	118,579	108,434
Total Assets	3,261,549	2,863,192
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	66,848	50,200
Accrued payroll and related taxes	30,190	41,230
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	106,056	83,906
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,815	1,700
Total current liabilities	204,909	177,036
Intercompany Payable	1,211,260	920,825
Other Non-Current Liabilities	151,405	144,383
Capital Lease Obligations	6,412	7,431
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,687,563	1,613,517
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,687,563	1,613,517
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,261,549	2,863,192
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	31,482	21,630
Restricted cash and investments	12,452	17,133
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	16,137	16,445
Contract receivable, current portion	243,531	224,033
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	5,119	7,437
Total current assets	308,721	286,678
Restricted Cash and Investments	6,645	936
Property and Equipment, Net	90,994	83,917
Non-Current Contract Receivable	405,780	219,783
Intercompany Receivable	24,654	27,290
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	11,814	11,357
Goodwill	449	413
Intangible Assets, Net	737	746
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,191	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	18,708	20,933
Total Assets	870,693	654,243
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	16,196	21,035
Accrued payroll and related taxes	18,590	14,030
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	20,175	10,398
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	250,231	233,365
Total current liabilities	305,192	278,828
Intercompany Payable	31,554	33,940
Other Non-Current Liabilities	16,806	21,652
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	90,874	0
Non-Recourse Debt	323,387	238,842
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	103,098	81,080
Noncontrolling interests	(218)	(99)
Total shareholders’ equity	102,880	80,981
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	870,693	654,243
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments	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	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	0	0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,257,349)	(1,087,804)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,790,659)	(1,694,597)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,527)	(79,866)
Total Assets	(3,127,535)	(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	(1,257,349)	(1,087,804)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,527)	(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	(1,790,659)	(1,694,597)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,790,659)	(1,694,597)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,127,535)	$ (2,862,267)