Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 631,579	$ 583,530	$ 1,856,212	$ 1,731,956
Operating expenses	472,513	434,806	1,382,678	1,299,312
Depreciation and amortization	32,419	31,297	97,240	94,536
General and administrative expenses	48,488	47,647	142,183	136,927
Operating income	78,159	69,780	234,111	201,181
Interest income	6,686	8,428	23,127	26,194
Interest expense	(36,645)	(37,991)	(115,857)	(110,205)
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	594	0	(5,147)	(574)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	48,794	40,217	136,234	116,596
Income tax provision	5,137	3,723	14,509	12,193
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,228	2,735	6,645	7,071
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	45,885	39,229	128,370	111,474
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	47	60	181	223
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	45,932	39,289	128,551	111,697
Net income	45,885	39,229	128,370	111,474
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(7,288)	(567)	(381)	(1,363)
Total comprehensive income	38,597	38,662	127,989	110,111
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	62	72	191	247
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	38,659	38,734	128,180	110,358
Reportable Legal Entities | The GEO Group, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	241,389	208,607	703,310	606,424
Operating expenses	194,174	171,038	555,000	483,982
Depreciation and amortization	7,303	6,742	22,021	19,766
General and administrative expenses	18,365	16,878	53,379	47,499
Operating income	21,547	13,949	72,910	55,177
Interest income	3,443	3,415	10,418	10,998
Interest expense	(22,370)	(20,765)	(68,793)	(58,460)
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	0		(486)	(574)
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	2,620	(3,401)	14,049	7,141
Income tax provision	295	162	823	1,055
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	2,325	(3,563)	13,226	6,086
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	43,560	42,792	115,147	105,388
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	45,885	39,229	128,373	111,474
Net income	45,885	39,229	128,373	111,474
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(2,777)	0	(2,777)	0
Total comprehensive income	43,108	39,229	125,596	111,474
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	43,108	39,229	125,596	111,474
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	513,194	479,175	1,506,490	1,412,868
Operating expenses	412,866	379,892	1,217,343	1,138,897
Depreciation and amortization	24,352	23,621	72,744	71,759
General and administrative expenses	24,818	25,568	73,599	73,753
Operating income	51,158	50,094	142,804	128,459
Interest income	2,207	1,159	5,722	4,023
Interest expense	(14,382)	(13,714)	(42,932)	(42,133)
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	594		(197)	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	39,577	37,539	105,397	90,349
Income tax provision	3,006	2,446	8,935	6,188
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	36,571	35,093	96,462	84,161
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	36,571	35,093	96,462	84,161
Net income	36,571	35,093	96,462	84,161
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	42	(761)	(563)	(31)
Total comprehensive income	36,613	34,332	95,899	84,130
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	36,613	34,332	95,899	84,130
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	69,734	65,028	200,341	201,090
Operating expenses	58,211	53,156	164,264	164,859
Depreciation and amortization	764	934	2,475	3,011
General and administrative expenses	5,305	5,201	15,205	15,675
Operating income	5,454	5,737	18,397	17,545
Interest income	6,022	8,660	21,937	26,951
Interest expense	(4,879)	(8,318)	(19,082)	(25,390)
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	0		(4,464)	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	6,597	6,079	16,788	19,106
Income tax provision	1,836	1,115	4,751	4,950
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	2,228	2,735	6,645	7,071
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	6,989	7,699	18,682	21,227
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	47	60	181	223
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	7,036	7,759	18,863	21,450
Net income	6,989	7,699	18,682	21,227
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,553)	194	2,959	(1,332)
Total comprehensive income	2,436	7,893	21,641	19,895
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	62	72	191	247
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	2,498	7,965	21,832	20,142
Eliminations
Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Revenues	(192,738)	(169,280)	(553,929)	(488,426)
Operating expenses	(192,738)	(169,280)	(553,929)	(488,426)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(4,986)	(4,806)	(14,950)	(15,778)
Interest expense	4,986	4,806	14,950	15,778
Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt	0		0	0
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net of income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Income before equity in income of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from consolidated subsidiaries, net of income tax provision	(43,560)	(42,792)	(115,147)	(105,388)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(43,560)	(42,792)	(115,147)	(105,388)
Net income	(43,560)	(42,792)	(115,147)	(105,388)
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	(43,560)	(42,792)	(115,147)	(105,388)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	$ (43,560)	$ (42,792)	$ (115,147)	$ (105,388)