Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 338,143	$ 274,475	$ 381,042
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired	0	0	(353,556)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	414	2,077	3,460
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	19,310	1,438	2,754
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	823	3,797	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	(7,440)	(129)	(4,507)
Capital expenditures	(117,244)	(195,666)	(148,406)
Net cash used in investing activities	(104,137)	(188,483)	(500,255)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(513,219)	(282,358)	(1,140,788)
Proceeds from long term debt	521,370	502,998	1,389,084
Payments on non-recourse debt	(335,116)	(18,544)	(307,414)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	321,102	0	181,658
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,179)	(3,820)	(4,142)
Payments for purchase of treasury shares	0	(95,175)	0
Debt issuance costs	(9,856)	(990)	(9,542)
Proceeds from stock options exercised	1,258	1,887	6,962
Dividends paid	(232,546)	(229,498)	(227,463)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	532	534	497
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering	0	0	275,867
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(250,654)	(124,966)	164,719
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(352)	(10,099)	(2,318)
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(17,000)	(49,073)	43,188
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	84,472	133,545	90,357
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	67,472	84,472	133,545
The GEO Group Inc.
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	275,126	156,754	118,018
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			(353,556)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	3,436
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	0	2,754
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(35,968)	(104,034)	(53,030)
Net cash used in investing activities	(35,968)	(104,034)	(400,396)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	(513,219)	(276,000)	(1,140,788)
Proceeds from long term debt	521,370	502,998	1,389,084
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0		0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	(4,179)	(3,820)	(4,142)
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		(95,175)
Debt issuance costs	(9,856)	(990)	(8,701)
Proceeds from stock options exercised	1,258	1,887	6,962
Dividends paid	(232,546)	(229,498)	(227,463)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	532	534	497
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering			275,867
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(236,640)	(100,064)	291,316
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	2,518	(47,344)	8,938
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	7,322	54,666	45,728
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	9,840	7,322	54,666
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	58,530	86,974	91,174
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	414	268	0
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	19,310	1,438	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	823	3,797
Change in restricted cash and investments	(7,440)	(129)	(4,507)
Capital expenditures	(79,627)	(89,310)	(86,336)
Net cash used in investing activities	(66,520)	(83,936)	(90,843)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	0		0
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from stock options exercised	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0		0
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering			0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(7,990)	3,038	331
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	7,990	4,952	4,621
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	0	7,990	4,952
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash Flow from Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by operating activities	4,487	30,747	171,850
Cash Flow from Investing Activities:
Acquisition of CEC, cash consideration, net of cash acquired			0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	1,809	24
Insurance proceeds - damaged property	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets held for sale	0
Change in restricted cash and investments	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	(1,649)	(2,322)	(9,040)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,649)	(513)	(9,016)
Cash Flow from Financing Activities:
Payments on long-term debt	0	(6,358)	0
Proceeds from long term debt	0	0	0
Payments on non-recourse debt	(335,116)	(18,544)	(307,414)
Proceeds from non-recourse debt	321,102		181,658
Taxes paid related to net share settlements of equity awards	0	0	0
Payments for purchase of treasury shares		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	(841)
Proceeds from stock options exercised	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock in connection with ESPP	0	0	0
Issuance of common stock in connection with public offering			0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(14,014)	(24,902)	(126,597)
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(352)	(10,099)	(2,318)
Net (Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	(11,528)	(4,767)	33,919
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, beginning of period	69,160	73,927	40,008
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, end of period	$ 57,632	$ 69,160	$ 73,927