Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 583,530	$ 566,759	$ 1,731,956	$ 1,694,443
Operating expenses	434,806	423,134	1,299,312	1,276,286
Depreciation and amortization	31,297	31,649	94,536	92,464
General and administrative expenses	47,647	49,074	136,927	143,866
Total operating income from segments	69,780	62,902	201,181	181,827
Interest income	8,428	14,648	26,194	38,971
Interest expense	(37,991)	(38,719)	(110,779)	(109,702)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	40,217	38,831	116,596	111,096
Income tax provision	3,723	1,720	12,193	5,590
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,735	1,342	7,071	4,255
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	60	36	223	123
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	39,289	38,489	111,697	109,884
Net income	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(556)	1,625	(1,363)	4,761
Total comprehensive income	38,673	40,078	110,111	114,522
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	72	34	247	119
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	38,745	40,112	110,358	114,641
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	208,607	171,553	606,424	520,986
Operating expenses	171,038	139,165	483,982	406,576
Depreciation and amortization	6,742	6,104	19,766	18,319
General and administrative expenses	16,878	14,699	47,499	43,939
Total operating income from segments	13,949	11,585	55,177	52,152
Interest income	3,415	2,688	10,998	12,793
Interest expense	(20,765)	(18,148)	(59,034)	(51,391)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	(3,401)	(3,875)	7,141	13,554
Income tax provision	162	147	1,055	441
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	(3,563)	(4,022)	6,086	13,113
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	42,792	42,475	105,388	96,648
Net income	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Net income	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	39,229	38,453	111,474	109,761
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	479,175	464,140	1,412,868	1,342,620
Operating expenses	379,892	364,834	1,138,897	1,076,232
Depreciation and amortization	23,621	24,623	71,759	71,404
General and administrative expenses	25,568	28,066	73,753	78,479
Total operating income from segments	50,094	46,617	128,459	116,505
Interest income	1,159	1,629	4,023	2,858
Interest expense	(13,714)	(13,093)	(42,133)	(41,353)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	37,539	35,153	90,349	78,010
Income tax provision	2,446	811	6,188	3,058
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	35,093	34,342	84,161	74,952
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	35,093	34,342	84,161	74,952
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	35,093	34,342	84,161	74,952
Net income	35,093	34,342	84,161	74,952
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(761)	64	(31)	175
Total comprehensive income	34,332	34,406	84,130	75,127
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	34,332	34,406	84,130	75,127
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	65,028	69,698	201,090	250,618
Operating expenses	53,156	57,767	164,859	213,259
Depreciation and amortization	934	922	3,011	2,741
General and administrative expenses	5,201	6,309	15,675	21,448
Total operating income from segments	5,737	4,700	17,545	13,170
Interest income	8,660	14,871	26,951	39,175
Interest expense	(8,318)	(12,018)	(25,390)	(32,813)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	6,079	7,553	19,106	19,532
Income tax provision	1,115	762	4,950	2,091
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,735	1,342	7,071	4,255
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	7,699	8,133	21,227	21,696
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	7,699	8,133	21,227	21,696
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	60	36	223	123
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	7,759	8,169	21,450	21,819
Net income	7,699	8,133	21,227	21,696
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	205	1,561	(1,332)	4,586
Total comprehensive income	7,904	9,694	19,895	26,282
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	72	34	247	119
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	7,976	9,728	20,142	26,401
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(169,280)	(138,632)	(488,426)	(419,781)
Operating expenses	(169,280)	(138,632)	(488,426)	(419,781)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Total operating income from segments	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(4,806)	(4,540)	(15,778)	(15,855)
Interest expense	4,806	4,540	15,778	15,855
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	(42,792)	(42,475)	(105,388)	(96,648)
Net income	(42,792)	(42,475)	(105,388)	(96,648)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(42,792)	(42,475)	(105,388)	(96,648)
Net income	(42,792)	(42,475)	(105,388)	(96,648)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(42,792)	(42,475)	(105,388)	(96,648)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (42,792)	$ (42,475)	$ (105,388)	$ (96,648)