Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 49,235	$ 81,377	$ 434,559
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	56,888	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	384,637	389,916
Contract receivable, current portion	14,285	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	31,177	45,342
Total current assets	536,222	579,709
Restricted Cash and Investments	24,394	27,999
Property and Equipment, Net	2,102,011	2,078,123
Assets Held for Sale	0	3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	407,938	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	26,277	26,277
Goodwill	776,395	778,951
Intangible Assets, Net	249,316	255,339
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	70,756	72,286
Total Assets	4,193,309	4,226,908
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	84,310	92,587
Accrued payroll and related taxes	57,918	71,732
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	181,135	176,324
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	25,189	28,920
Total current liabilities	348,552	369,563
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	92,286	96,702
Capital Lease Obligations	5,698	6,059
Long-Term Debt	2,240,057	2,181,544
Non-Recourse Debt	359,387	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,138,953	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	(381)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,138,572	1,198,919
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,193,309	4,226,908
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	10,396	54,666
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	6,422	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	136,290	130,354
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,036	2,589
Total current assets	155,144	187,609
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	803,053	777,404
Assets Held for Sale		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	988,910	1,130,189
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	863	863
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,514,148	1,336,665
Other Non-Current Assets	10,237	11,141
Total Assets	3,472,355	3,443,871
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	14,592	20,643
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	46,744	40,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	69,336	68,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	111,828	79,984
Other Non-Current Liabilities	1,336	4,674
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,150,902	2,090,985
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,138,953	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,138,953	1,199,241
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,472,355	3,443,871
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	13,307	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	208,114	225,029
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19,830	24,163
Total current assets	241,251	249,192
Restricted Cash and Investments	21,669	25,715
Property and Equipment, Net	1,208,315	1,209,816
Assets Held for Sale		3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	120,288	88,534
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	23,913	23,913
Goodwill	775,955	778,504
Intangible Assets, Net	248,469	254,531
Investment in Subsidiaries	458,228	456,076
Other Non-Current Assets	112,458	115,330
Total Assets	3,210,546	3,205,526
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	63,564	65,475
Accrued payroll and related taxes	38,308	51,780
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	106,129	115,636
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,902	1,870
Total current liabilities	209,903	234,761
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	988,221	1,129,590
Other Non-Current Liabilities	156,465	157,200
Capital Lease Obligations	5,698	6,059
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,850,259	1,677,916
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,850,259	1,677,916
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,210,546	3,205,526
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	25,532	26,711
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	50,466	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	40,233	34,533
Contract receivable, current portion	14,285	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,311	18,590
Total current assets	139,827	142,908
Restricted Cash and Investments	2,725	2,284
Property and Equipment, Net	90,643	90,903
Assets Held for Sale		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	407,938	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	26,598	28,218
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	1,501	1,501
Goodwill	440	447
Intangible Assets, Net	847	808
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	27,289	25,210
Total Assets	699,998	698,778
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	6,154	6,469
Accrued payroll and related taxes	19,610	19,952
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	28,262	20,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	15,287	19,050
Total current liabilities	69,313	65,815
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	35,747	37,367
Other Non-Current Liabilities	13,713	14,223
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	89,155	90,559
Non-Recourse Debt	359,387	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	124,307	117,015
Noncontrolling interests	(381)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	123,926	116,693
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	699,998	698,778
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	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
Assets Held for Sale		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,135,796)	(1,246,941)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,974,566)	(1,794,931)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,228)	(79,395)
Total Assets	(3,189,590)	(3,121,267)
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
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,135,796)	(1,246,941)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,228)	(79,395)
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	(1,974,566)	(1,794,931)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,974,566)	(1,794,931)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,189,590)	$ (3,121,267)