Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 220,223	$ 57,905
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	5,998	86
Acquisition of CEC, net of cash acquired	0	(353,555)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,061	856
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	3,797	0
Change in restricted investments	(2,413)	(3,810)
Capital expenditures	(161,490)	(104,130)
Net cash used in investing activities	(152,047)	(460,553)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	372,000	1,324,865
Payments on long-term debt	(186,033)	(1,093,088)
Payments on non-recourse debt	(9,636)	(68,887)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0	123,785
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,452)	(4,122)
Payment for repurchases of common stock	(70,446)	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	404	382
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	0	275,867
Debt issuance costs	(990)	(9,470)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	1,781	6,786
Cash dividends paid	(172,256)	(169,152)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(69,628)	386,966
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(5,392)	863
Net Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(6,844)	(14,819)
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	133,545	90,357
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	126,701	75,538
The GEO Group, Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	112,599	15,303
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	86
Acquisition of CEC, net of cash acquired		(353,555)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	845
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0
Change in restricted investments	0	0
Capital expenditures	(95,461)	(34,679)
Net cash used in investing activities	(95,461)	(387,303)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	372,000	1,324,865
Payments on long-term debt	(183,000)	(1,093,088)
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,452)	(4,122)
Payment for repurchases of common stock	(70,446)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	404	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with public offering		275,867
Debt issuance costs	(990)	(8,701)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	1,781	6,786
Cash dividends paid	(172,256)	(169,152)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(56,959)	332,455
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(39,821)	(39,545)
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	54,666	45,736
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	14,845	6,191
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	70,040	79,088
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	5,998	0
Acquisition of CEC, net of cash acquired		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	3,797
Change in restricted investments	(2,413)	(3,810)
Capital expenditures	(64,015)	(61,432)
Net cash used in investing activities	(56,633)	(65,242)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0
Payment for repurchases of common stock	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with public offering		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0
Net Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	13,407	13,846
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	4,952	4,922
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	18,359	18,768
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	37,584	(36,486)
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	0
Acquisition of CEC, net of cash acquired		0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,061	11
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0
Change in restricted investments	0	0
Capital expenditures	(2,014)	(8,019)
Net cash used in investing activities	47	(8,008)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	(3,033)	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(9,636)	(68,887)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt		123,785
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0
Payment for repurchases of common stock	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	382
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with public offering		0
Debt issuance costs	0	(769)
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	0	0
Cash dividends paid	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(12,669)	54,511
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(5,392)	863
Net Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	19,570	10,880
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	73,927	39,699
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 93,497	$ 50,579