Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 381,042	$ (28,028)	$ 142,157
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration	0	0	(24,402)
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	(353,556)	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	3,460	2,030	42
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration	0	0	(307,404)
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	2,754	4,733	1,270
Change in restricted cash and investments	(33,661)	(9,558)	(4,805)
Capital expenditures	(148,406)	(81,565)	(117,581)
Net cash used in investing activities	(529,409)	(84,360)	(452,880)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(1,140,788)	(934,006)	(311,985)
Proceeds from long term debt	1,389,084	1,012,945	724,798
Payments on non-recourse debt	(307,414)	(10,064)	(11,908)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	181,658	266,835	123,560
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,142)	(2,336)	(2,786)
Tax benefit (deficiency) related to equity compensation	0	(1,626)	1,409
Debt issuance costs	(9,542)	(21,115)	(7,069)
Proceeds from stock options exercised	6,962	3,347	2,774
Dividends paid	(227,463)	(194,748)	(186,984)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	497	436	441
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	275,867	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	164,719	119,668	332,250
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(3,013)	1,120	(3,226)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	13,339	8,400	18,301
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	68,038	59,638	41,337
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	81,377	68,038	59,638
The GEO Group Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	118,180	154,125	153,861
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	(353,556)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	3,436	2,030	0
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration			(307,404)
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	2,754	0	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	0	(24)	90
Capital expenditures	(53,030)	(14,040)	(55,629)
Net cash used in investing activities	(400,396)	(12,034)	(362,943)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(1,140,788)	(934,006)	(311,985)
Proceeds from long term debt	1,389,084	1,012,945	724,798
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,142)	(2,336)	(2,786)
Tax benefit (deficiency) related to equity compensation		(844)	1,409
Debt issuance costs	(8,701)	(16,980)	0
Proceeds from stock options exercised	6,962	2,367	2,774
Dividends paid	(227,463)	(194,748)	(186,984)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	497	0	441
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	275,867
Net cash provided by financing activities	291,316	(133,602)	227,667
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	9,100	8,489	18,585
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	45,566	37,077	18,492
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	54,666	45,566	37,077
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	91,467	66,009	84,795
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration			(24,402)
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	42
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration			0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	0	1,270
Change in restricted cash and investments	(5,973)	(3,356)	(2,658)
Capital expenditures	(86,336)	(61,811)	(59,829)
Net cash used in investing activities	(92,309)	(65,167)	(85,577)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0	0
Tax benefit (deficiency) related to equity compensation		0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from stock options exercised	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0		0
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(842)	842	(782)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	842	0	782
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	0	842	0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	171,395	(248,162)	(96,499)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of SoberLink, cash consideration
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	24	0	0
Acquisition of LCS, cash consideration			0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	4,733	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(27,688)	(6,178)	(2,237)
Capital expenditures	(9,040)	(5,714)	(2,123)
Net cash used in investing activities	(36,704)	(7,159)	(4,360)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(307,414)	(10,064)	(11,908)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	181,658	266,835	123,560
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0	0
Tax benefit (deficiency) related to equity compensation		(782)	0
Debt issuance costs	(841)	(4,135)	(7,069)
Proceeds from stock options exercised	0	980	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	436	0
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	(126,597)	253,270	104,583
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents	(3,013)	1,120	(3,226)
Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents	5,081	(931)	498
Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	21,630	22,561	22,063
Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 26,711	$ 21,630	$ 22,561