Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 32,463	$ 31,255	$ 81,377
Restricted cash and investments, current	32,418	51,678
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	430,982	445,526
Contract receivable, current portion	11,199	15,535
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	40,716	57,768
Total current assets	547,778	601,762
Restricted cash and investments - non-current	30,923	22,431	27,999
Property and equipment, net	2,144,722	2,158,610	2,078,123
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	121,527	0
Contract Receivable	360,647	368,178
Assets Held for Sale	6,059	2,634
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Deferred Income Tax Assets	36,278	29,924
Goodwill	776,356	776,359	778,951
Intangible Assets, Net	210,070	232,360
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other Non-Current Assets	83,174	65,860
Total Assets	4,317,534	4,258,118
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	99,232	93,032
Accrued payroll and related taxes	54,672	76,009
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	191,608	204,170
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	26,208	0
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	24,208	332,027
Total current liabilities	395,928	705,238
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	19,254	13,681
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Non-Current Liabilities	88,526	82,481
Operating Lease Liabilities	97,291	0
Finance Lease Obligations		4,570
Finance Lease Obligations	2,954
Long-Term Debt	2,408,297	2,397,227
Non-Recourse Debt	309,236	15,017
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	996,830	1,040,503
Noncontrolling interests	(782)	(599)
Total shareholders’ equity	996,048	1,039,904	$ 1,198,919	$ 974,957
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	4,317,534	4,258,118
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 | The GEO Group Inc.
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	9,840	4,468
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	2,854
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	167,769	190,594
Contract receivable, current portion		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,273	2,011
Total current assets	178,882	199,927
Restricted cash and investments - non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	846,297	845,291
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	21,995
Contract Receivable	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	705	705
Intercompany Receivable	978,337	990,365
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	798
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,484,930	1,503,841
Other Non-Current Assets	18,329	9,541
Total Assets	3,529,475	3,550,468
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	16,690	13,566
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	32,175	23,565
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	5,232
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	8,000	8,000
Total current liabilities	62,097	45,131
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	106,029	142,055
Other Non-Current Liabilities	3,572	1,395
Operating Lease Liabilities	17,321
Finance Lease Obligations		0
Finance Lease Obligations	0
Long-Term Debt	2,343,626	2,321,384
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	996,830	1,040,503
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	996,830	1,040,503
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,529,475	3,550,468
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	7,873
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	218,920	221,957
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	32,187	50,482
Total current assets	251,107	280,312
Restricted cash and investments - non-current	28,648	21,009
Property and equipment, net	1,214,697	1,227,223
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	98,654
Contract Receivable	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	5,354	1,929
Intercompany Receivable	238,680	150,710
Deferred Income Tax Assets	35,584	27,928
Goodwill	775,953	775,955
Intangible Assets, Net	209,554	231,787
Investment in Subsidiaries	573,816	458,229
Other Non-Current Assets	123,797	115,695
Total Assets	3,555,844	3,290,777
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	76,631	72,128
Accrued payroll and related taxes	38,243	56,543
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	131,031	168,231
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	20,777
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	2,626	2,017
Total current liabilities	269,308	298,919
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	1,100,299	989,856
Other Non-Current Liabilities	162,026	152,815
Operating Lease Liabilities	79,290
Finance Lease Obligations		4,570
Finance Lease Obligations	2,954
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	1,941,967	1,844,617
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	1,941,967	1,844,617
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	3,555,844	3,290,777
Reportable Legal Entities | Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	22,623	18,914
Restricted cash and investments, current	32,418	48,824
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	41,175	44,377
Contract receivable, current portion	11,199	15,535
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,315	7,114
Total current assets	116,730	134,764
Restricted cash and investments - non-current	2,275	1,422
Property and equipment, net	83,728	86,096
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	878
Contract Receivable	360,647	368,178
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	17,050	22,407
Deferred Income Tax Assets	694	1,198
Goodwill	403	404
Intangible Assets, Net	516	573
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,189	2,190
Other Non-Current Assets	18,853	19,334
Total Assets	603,963	636,566
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	5,911	7,338
Accrued payroll and related taxes	16,429	19,466
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	28,765	25,615
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	199
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	13,582	322,010
Total current liabilities	64,886	374,429
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	19,254	13,681
Intercompany Payable	26,316	31,571
Other Non-Current Liabilities	733	6,981
Operating Lease Liabilities	680
Finance Lease Obligations		0
Finance Lease Obligations	0
Long-Term Debt	64,671	75,843
Non-Recourse Debt	309,236	15,017
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	118,969	119,643
Noncontrolling interests	(782)	(599)
Total shareholders’ equity	118,187	119,044
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	603,963	636,566
Eliminations
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash and investments, current	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	3,118	(11,402)
Contract receivable, current portion	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(2,059)	(1,839)
Total current assets	1,059	(13,241)
Restricted cash and investments - non-current	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets, Net	0
Contract Receivable	0	0
Assets Held for Sale	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	(1,234,067)	(1,163,482)
Deferred Income Tax Assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,060,935)	(1,964,260)
Other Non-Current Assets	(77,805)	(78,710)
Total Assets	(3,371,748)	(3,219,693)
Current Liabilities
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and related taxes	0	0
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(363)	(13,241)
Operating lease liabilities, current portion	0
Current portion of capital lease obligations, long-term debt and non-recourse debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	(363)	(13,241)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(1,232,644)	(1,163,482)
Other Non-Current Liabilities	(77,805)	(78,710)
Operating Lease Liabilities	0
Finance Lease Obligations		0
Finance Lease Obligations	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Non-Recourse Debt	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to The GEO Group, Inc.	(2,060,936)	(1,964,260)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	(2,060,936)	(1,964,260)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ (3,371,748)	$ (3,219,693)