Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 65,451	$ 81,377	$ 65,901
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	58,720	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	377,768	389,916
Contract receivable, current portion	9,398	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,763	45,342
Total current assets	547,100	579,709
Restricted Cash and Investments	25,297	27,999
Property and Equipment, Net	2,124,553	2,078,123
Assets Held for Sale	0	3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	396,360	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	26,277	26,277
Goodwill	776,379	778,951
Intangible Assets, Net	243,549	255,339
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	67,055	72,286
Total Assets	4,206,570	4,226,908
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	90,327	92,587
Accrued payroll and related taxes	69,062	71,732
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	189,261	176,324
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	25,127	28,920
Total current liabilities	373,777	369,563
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	89,882	96,702
Capital Lease Obligations	5,329	6,059
Long-Term Debt	2,289,409	2,181,544
Non-Recourse Debt	346,479	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,093,435	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	(498)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,092,937	1,198,919
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,206,570	4,226,908
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	18,363	54,666
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	7,842	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	141,487	130,354
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,391	2,589
Total current assets	170,083	187,609
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	826,324	777,404
Assets Held for Sale		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	969,520	1,130,189
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	863	863
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,512,288	1,336,665
Other Non-Current Assets	9,448	11,141
Total Assets	3,488,526	3,443,871
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	17,449	20,643
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	42,758	40,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	68,207	68,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	122,124	79,984
Other Non-Current Liabilities	1,320	4,674
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,203,441	2,090,985
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,093,434	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,093,434	1,199,241
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,488,526	3,443,871
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	11,156	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	200,426	225,029
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	22,293	24,163
Total current assets	233,875	249,192
Restricted Cash and Investments	22,481	25,715
Property and Equipment, Net	1,210,293	1,209,816
Assets Held for Sale		3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	130,374	88,534
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	23,913	23,913
Goodwill	775,955	778,504
Intangible Assets, Net	242,911	254,531
Investment in Subsidiaries	458,228	456,076
Other Non-Current Assets	113,627	115,330
Total Assets	3,211,657	3,205,526
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	67,292	65,475
Accrued payroll and related taxes	50,169	51,780
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	115,623	115,636
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,974	1,870
Total current liabilities	235,058	234,761
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	968,622	1,129,590
Other Non-Current Liabilities	156,158	157,200
Capital Lease Obligations	5,329	6,059
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,846,490	1,677,916
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,846,490	1,677,916
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,211,657	3,205,526
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	35,932	26,711
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	50,878	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	35,855	34,533
Contract receivable, current portion	9,398	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,079	18,590
Total current assets	143,142	142,908
Restricted Cash and Investments	2,816	2,284
Property and Equipment, Net	87,936	90,903
Assets Held for Sale		0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	396,360	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	26,300	28,218
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	1,501	1,501
Goodwill	424	447
Intangible Assets, Net	638	808
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	23,042	25,210
Total Assets	684,349	698,778
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	5,586	6,469
Accrued payroll and related taxes	18,893	19,952
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	30,880	20,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	15,153	19,050
Total current liabilities	70,512	65,815
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	35,448	37,367
Other Non-Current Liabilities	11,466	14,223
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	85,968	90,559
Non-Recourse Debt	346,479	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	126,217	117,015
Noncontrolling interests	(498)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	125,719	116,693
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	684,349	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	(1,126,194)	(1,246,941)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,972,706)	(1,794,931)
Other Non-Current Assets	(79,062)	(79,395)
Total Assets	(3,177,962)	(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	(1,126,194)	(1,246,941)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(79,062)	(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	(1,972,706)	(1,794,931)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,972,706)	(1,794,931)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,177,962)	$ (3,121,267)