Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 67,728	$ 31,255	$ 49,235
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	53,749	51,678
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	423,596	445,526
Contract receivable, current portion	16,005	15,535
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	43,535	57,768
Total current assets	604,613	601,762
Restricted Cash and Investments	27,282	22,431
Property and Equipment, Net	2,150,627	2,158,610
Assets Held for Sale	4,607	2,634
Contract Receivable	368,698	368,178
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	133,365	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets	29,924	29,924
Goodwill	776,361	776,359
Intangible Assets, Net	226,782	232,360
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	61,807	65,860
Total Assets	4,384,066	4,258,118
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	93,458	93,032
Accrued payroll and related taxes	58,079	76,009
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	189,174	204,170
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	35,210	0
Current portion of finance lease liabilities, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	332,864	332,027
Total current liabilities	708,785	705,238
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	13,681	13,681
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	79,734	82,481
Finance Lease Liabilities	4,179	4,570
Operating Lease Liabilities	102,238	0
Finance Lease Liabilities	4,179	4,570
Long-Term Debt	2,433,433	2,397,227
Non-Recourse Debt	15,112	15,017
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,027,559	1,040,503
Noncontrolling interests	(655)	(599)
Total shareholders’ equity	1,026,904	1,039,904	$ 1,138,572	$ 1,198,919
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,384,066	4,258,118
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	32,701	4,468
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	1,125	2,854
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	177,929	190,594
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	586	2,011
Total current assets	212,341	199,927
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	842,309	845,291
Assets Held for Sale	705	705
Contract Receivable	0	0
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	25,097
Intercompany Receivable	989,843	990,365
Deferred Income Tax Assets	798	798
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,483,260	1,503,841
Other Non-Current Assets	7,931	9,541
Total Assets	3,562,284	3,550,468
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	13,657	13,566
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	35,765	23,565
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	5,042
Current portion of finance lease liabilities, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	62,464	45,131
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	92,733	142,055
Other Non-Current Liabilities	387	1,395
Finance Lease Liabilities		0
Operating Lease Liabilities	20,612
Finance Lease Liabilities	0
Long-Term Debt	2,358,529	2,321,384
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,027,559	1,040,503
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,027,559	1,040,503
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,562,284	3,550,468
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	2,965	7,873
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	199,420	221,957
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	40,108	50,482
Total current assets	242,493	280,312
Restricted Cash and Investments	24,954	21,009
Property and Equipment, Net	1,223,123	1,227,223
Assets Held for Sale	3,902	1,929
Contract Receivable	0	0
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	107,432
Intercompany Receivable	219,936	150,710
Deferred Income Tax Assets	27,928	27,928
Goodwill	775,954	775,955
Intangible Assets, Net	226,229	231,787
Investment in Subsidiaries	458,229	458,229
Other Non-Current Assets	113,075	115,695
Total Assets	3,423,255	3,290,777
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	70,420	72,128
Accrued payroll and related taxes	37,351	56,543
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	126,669	168,231
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	29,786
Current portion of finance lease liabilities, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	1,521	2,017
Total current liabilities	265,747	298,919
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	1,106,285	989,856
Other Non-Current Liabilities	151,804	152,815
Finance Lease Liabilities		4,570
Operating Lease Liabilities	81,171
Finance Lease Liabilities	4,179
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,814,069	1,844,617
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,814,069	1,844,617
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,423,255	3,290,777
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	32,062	18,914
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	52,624	48,824
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	43,128	44,377
Contract receivable, current portion	16,005	15,535
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,736	7,114
Total current assets	148,555	134,764
Restricted Cash and Investments	2,328	1,422
Property and Equipment, Net	85,195	86,096
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Contract Receivable	368,698	368,178
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	836
Intercompany Receivable	25,462	22,407
Deferred Income Tax Assets	1,198	1,198
Goodwill	407	404
Intangible Assets, Net	553	573
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,189	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	19,289	19,334
Total Assets	654,710	636,566
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	9,381	7,338
Accrued payroll and related taxes	20,728	19,466
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	26,938	25,615
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	382
Current portion of finance lease liabilities, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	323,343	322,010
Total current liabilities	380,772	374,429
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	13,681	13,681
Intercompany Payable	34,800	31,571
Other Non-Current Liabilities	6,031	6,981
Finance Lease Liabilities		0
Operating Lease Liabilities	455
Finance Lease Liabilities	0
Long-Term Debt	74,904	75,843
Non-Recourse Debt	15,112	15,017
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	129,610	119,643
Noncontrolling interests	(655)	(599)
Total shareholders’ equity	128,955	119,044
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	654,710	636,566
Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	3,119	(11,402)
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,895)	(1,839)
Total current assets	1,224	(13,241)
Restricted Cash and Investments	0	0
Property and Equipment, Net	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Contract Receivable	0
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,235,241)	(1,163,482)
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(1,943,678)	(1,964,260)
Other Non-Current Assets	(78,488)	(78,710)
Total Assets	(3,256,183)	(3,219,693)
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(198)	(13,241)
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	0
Current portion of finance lease liabilities, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(198)	(13,241)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,233,818)	(1,163,482)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(78,488)	(78,710)
Finance Lease Liabilities		0
Operating Lease Liabilities	0
Finance Lease Liabilities	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments & Contingencies and Other
The GEO Group, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	(1,943,679)	(1,964,260)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(1,943,679)	(1,964,260)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,256,183)	$ (3,219,693)