Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 599,430	$ 583,530	$ 583,509	$ 564,917	$ 568,977	$ 566,759	$ 577,070	$ 550,614	$ 2,331,386	$ 2,263,420	$ 2,179,490
Operating expenses									1,755,772	1,700,495	1,650,281
Depreciation and amortization									126,434	124,297	114,916
General and administrative expenses									184,515	190,343	148,709
Operating income	63,484	69,780	66,951	64,450	66,458	62,902	54,553	64,372	264,665	248,285	265,584
Interest Income									34,755	51,676	28,496
Interest Expense									(150,103)	(148,024)	(128,718)
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0	(15,885)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									149,317	151,937	149,477
Provision for Income Taxes									14,117	17,958	7,904
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									9,627	12,045	6,925
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									144,827	146,024	148,498
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Net Income	33,353	39,229	37,325	34,920	36,263	38,453	30,942	40,366	144,827	146,024	148,498
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									262	217	217
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ 33,392	$ 39,289	$ 37,421	$ 34,987	$ 36,357	$ 38,489	$ 30,992	$ 40,403	145,089	146,241	148,715
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									813	6,373	1,598
Total comprehensive income									145,640	152,397	150,096
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									277	211	198
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									145,917	152,608	150,294
The GEO Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Loss on extinguishment of debt											(15,885)
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Loss on extinguishment of debt											0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Loss on extinguishment of debt											0
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									827,473	711,013	697,292
Operating expenses									664,354	568,061	560,694
Depreciation and amortization									27,036	24,580	25,224
General and administrative expenses									64,852	59,194	47,354
Operating income									71,231	59,178	64,020
Interest Income									14,702	16,200	20,409
Interest Expense									(81,456)	(69,969)	(65,018)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									4,477	5,409	3,526
Provision for Income Taxes									972	1,103	1,124
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									3,505	4,306	2,402
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									141,322	141,718	146,096
Net Income									144,827	146,024	148,498
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									144,827	146,024	148,498
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									144,827	146,024	148,498
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									144,827	146,024	148,498
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									1,905,243	1,810,262	1,626,690
Operating expenses									1,539,343	1,441,884	1,283,447
Depreciation and amortization									95,504	96,051	85,852
General and administrative expenses									98,601	104,373	72,831
Operating income									171,795	167,954	184,560
Interest Income									5,494	4,294	1,842
Interest Expense									(56,194)	(55,080)	(55,295)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									121,095	117,168	131,107
Provision for Income Taxes									7,424	9,608	2,108
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									113,671	107,560	128,999
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Net Income									113,671	107,560	128,999
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									113,671	107,560	128,999
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									1,785	(1,420)	(704)
Total comprehensive income									115,456	106,140	128,295
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									115,456	106,140	128,295
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									268,723	321,612	420,019
Operating expenses									222,128	270,017	370,651
Depreciation and amortization									3,894	3,666	3,840
General and administrative expenses									21,062	26,776	28,524
Operating income									21,639	21,153	17,004
Interest Income									35,501	52,069	28,944
Interest Expense									(33,395)	(43,862)	(31,104)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									23,745	29,360	14,844
Provision for Income Taxes									5,721	7,247	4,672
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									9,627	12,045	6,925
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									27,651	34,158	17,097
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Net Income									27,651	34,158	17,097
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									262	217	217
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									27,913	34,375	17,314
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									(972)	7,793	2,302
Total comprehensive income									26,679	41,951	19,399
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									277	211	198
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									26,956	42,162	19,597
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues									(670,053)	(579,467)	(564,511)
Operating expenses									(670,053)	(579,467)	(564,511)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Operating income									0	0	0
Interest Income									(20,942)	(20,887)	(22,699)
Interest Expense									20,942	20,887	22,699
Loss on extinguishment of debt											0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates									0	0	0
Provision for Income Taxes									0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision									(141,322)	(141,718)	(146,096)
Net Income									(141,322)	(141,718)	(146,096)
Less: loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									(141,322)	(141,718)	(146,096)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax									0	0	0
Total comprehensive income									(141,322)	(141,718)	(146,096)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.									$ (141,322)	$ (141,718)	$ (146,096)