Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 66,007	$ 81,377	$ 51,526
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	54,931	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	403,610	389,916
Contract receivable, current portion	9,420	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	37,587	45,342
Total current assets	571,555	579,709
Restricted Cash and Investments	28,939	27,999
Property and Equipment, Net	2,148,005	2,078,123
Assets Held for Sale	2,634	3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	384,794	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	26,277	26,277
Goodwill	776,368	778,951
Intangible Assets, Net	237,947	255,339
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	65,820	72,286
Total Assets	4,242,339	4,226,908
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	82,284	92,587
Accrued payroll and related taxes	53,597	71,732
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	197,459	176,324
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	340,143	28,920
Total current liabilities	673,483	369,563
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	89,214	96,702
Capital Lease Obligations	4,954	6,059
Long-Term Debt	2,363,318	2,181,544
Non-Recourse Debt	22,201	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,080,981	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	(569)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,080,412	1,198,919
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,242,339	4,226,908
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	9,193	54,666
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	5,652	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	178,579	130,354
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,153	2,589
Total current assets	195,577	187,609
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	843,558	777,404
Assets Held for Sale	705	0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	980,555	1,130,189
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	863	863
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,516,564	1,336,665
Other Non-Current Assets	8,711	11,141
Total Assets	3,546,533	3,443,871
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	11,967	20,643
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	43,371	40,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	63,338	68,987
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	118,478	79,984
Other Non-Current Liabilities	1,337	4,674
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,282,399	2,090,985
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,080,981	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,080,981	1,199,241
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,546,533	3,443,871
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	18,059	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	187,231	225,029
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	26,183	24,163
Total current assets	231,473	249,192
Restricted Cash and Investments	23,476	25,715
Property and Equipment, Net	1,217,597	1,209,816
Assets Held for Sale	1,929	3,915
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	126,525	88,534
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	23,913	23,913
Goodwill	775,955	778,504
Intangible Assets, Net	237,345	254,531
Investment in Subsidiaries	458,229	456,076
Other Non-Current Assets	115,759	115,330
Total Assets	3,212,201	3,205,526
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	64,568	65,475
Accrued payroll and related taxes	33,424	51,780
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	121,258	115,636
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,998	1,870
Total current liabilities	221,248	234,761
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	979,528	1,129,590
Other Non-Current Liabilities	157,333	157,200
Capital Lease Obligations	4,954	6,059
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,849,138	1,677,916
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,849,138	1,677,916
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,212,201	3,205,526
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	38,755	26,711
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	49,279	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	33,695	34,533
Contract receivable, current portion	9,420	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,037	18,590
Total current assets	142,186	142,908
Restricted Cash and Investments	5,463	2,284
Property and Equipment, Net	86,850	90,903
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	384,794	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	24,460	28,218
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	1,501	1,501
Goodwill	413	447
Intangible Assets, Net	602	808
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	20,245	25,210
Total Assets	668,704	698,778
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	5,749	6,469
Accrued payroll and related taxes	20,173	19,952
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	30,511	20,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	330,145	19,050
Total current liabilities	386,578	65,815
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	8,757	8,757
Intercompany Payable	33,534	37,367
Other Non-Current Liabilities	9,439	14,223
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	80,919	90,559
Non-Recourse Debt	22,201	365,364
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	127,845	117,015
Noncontrolling interests	(569)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	127,276	116,693
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	668,704	698,778
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	4,105	0
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,786)	0
Total current assets	2,319	0
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Non-Current Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,131,540)	(1,246,941)
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,976,983)	(1,794,931)
Other Non-Current Assets	(78,895)	(79,395)
Total Assets	(3,185,099)	(3,121,267)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	2,319	0
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	2,319	0
Non-Current Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,131,540)	(1,246,941)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(78,895)	(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	(1,976,983)	(1,794,931)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,976,983)	(1,794,931)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,185,099)	$ (3,121,267)