Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 31,255	$ 81,377	$ 68,038
Restricted cash and investments, current	51,678	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	445,526	389,916
Contract receivable, current portion	15,535	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	47,113	45,342
Total current assets	591,107	579,709
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	22,431	27,999
Property and equipment, net	2,158,610	2,078,123	1,897,241
Assets Held for Sale	2,634	3,915
Contract Receivable	368,178	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets	29,924	26,277
Goodwill	776,359	778,951	615,433
Intangible Assets, Net	232,360	255,339
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	65,860	72,286
Total Assets	4,247,463	4,226,908
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	93,032	92,587
Accrued payroll and related taxes	76,009	71,732
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	193,515	176,324
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	332,027	28,920
Total current liabilities	694,583	369,563
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	13,681	8,757
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	82,481	96,702
Capital Lease Obligations	4,570	6,059
Long-Term Debt	2,397,227	2,181,544
Non-Recourse Debt	15,017	365,364
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,040,503	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	(599)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,039,904	1,198,919	$ 974,957	$ 1,006,837
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,247,463	4,226,908
The GEO Group Inc.
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current Liabilities
Commitments and Contingencies
Reportable Legal Entities
ASSETS
Contract Receivable		0
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	4,468	54,666
Restricted cash and investments, current	2,854	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	190,594	130,354
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,011	2,589
Total current assets	199,927	187,609
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	845,291	777,404
Assets Held for Sale	705	0
Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	990,365	1,130,189
Deferred Income Tax Assets	798	863
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,503,841	1,336,665
Other Non-Current Assets	9,541	11,141
Total Assets	3,550,468	3,443,871
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	13,566	20,643
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	23,565	40,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	45,131	68,987
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	142,055	79,984
Other Non-Current Liabilities	1,395	4,674
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	2,321,384	2,090,985
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,040,503	1,199,241
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,040,503	1,199,241
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,550,468	3,443,871
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	7,873	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	221,957	225,029
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	39,827	24,163
Total current assets	269,657	249,192
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	21,009	25,715
Property and equipment, net	1,227,223	1,209,816
Assets Held for Sale	1,929	3,915
Contract Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	150,710	88,534
Deferred Income Tax Assets	27,928	23,913
Goodwill	775,955	778,504
Intangible Assets, Net	231,787	254,531
Investment in Subsidiaries	458,229	456,076
Other Non-Current Assets	115,695	115,330
Total Assets	3,280,122	3,205,526
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	72,128	65,475
Accrued payroll and related taxes	56,543	51,780
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	157,576	115,636
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	2,017	1,870
Total current liabilities	288,264	234,761
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	989,856	1,129,590
Other Non-Current Liabilities	152,815	157,200
Capital Lease Obligations	4,570	6,059
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,844,617	1,677,916
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,844,617	1,677,916
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,280,122	3,205,526
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	18,914	26,711
Restricted cash and investments, current	48,824	44,932
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	44,377	34,533
Contract receivable, current portion	15,535	18,142
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,114	18,590
Total current assets	134,764	142,908
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	1,422	2,284
Property and equipment, net	86,096	90,903
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Contract Receivable	368,178	404,309
Intercompany Receivable	22,407	28,218
Deferred Income Tax Assets	1,198	1,501
Goodwill	404	447
Intangible Assets, Net	573	808
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,190	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	19,334	25,210
Total Assets	636,566	698,778
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	7,338	6,469
Accrued payroll and related taxes	19,466	19,952
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	25,615	20,344
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	322,010	19,050
Total current liabilities	374,429	65,815
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	13,681	8,757
Intercompany Payable	31,571	37,367
Other Non-Current Liabilities	6,981	14,223
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	75,843	90,559
Non-Recourse Debt	15,017	365,364
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	119,643	117,015
Noncontrolling interests	(599)	(322)
Total shareholders’ equity	119,044	116,693
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	636,566	698,778
Eliminations
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	(11,402)	0
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,839)	0
Total current assets	(13,241)	0
Restricted cash and investments, non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,163,482)	(1,246,941)
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,964,260)	(1,794,931)
Other Non-Current Assets	(78,710)	(79,395)
Total Assets	(3,219,693)	(3,121,267)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(13,241)	0
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(13,241)	0
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,163,482)	(1,246,941)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(78,710)	(79,395)
Capital Lease Obligations	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(1,964,260)	(1,794,931)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,964,260)	(1,794,931)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,219,693)	$ (3,121,267)