Summary of Business Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue Recognition and Facility Construction and Design (Details)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) bed contract	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Domestic performance based revenues percent of consolidated revenues									1.00%
Performance obligation, payment required, period									30 days
Total Revenues	$ 621,710,000	$ 631,579,000	$ 613,966,000	$ 610,667,000	$ 599,430,000	$ 583,530,000	$ 583,509,000	$ 564,917,000	$ 2,477,922,000	$ 2,331,386,000	$ 2,263,420,000
Owned and Leased: Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									1,228,299,000	1,110,749,000	1,055,254,000
Owned and Leased: Community-based
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									176,001,000	170,805,000	149,619,000
Owned and Leased: Youth Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									87,189,000	91,824,000	88,184,000
Managed Only
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									610,919,000	641,079,000	582,091,000
Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 29,978,000	4,226,000	115,404,000
Interest income, effective interest rate									8.97%
Non-residential Services and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 345,536,000	312,703,000	272,868,000
U.S. Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									1,601,679,000	1,492,973,000	1,438,044,000
U.S. Secure Services | Owned and Leased: Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									1,228,299,000	1,110,749,000	1,055,254,000
U.S. Secure Services | Owned and Leased: Community-based
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
U.S. Secure Services | Owned and Leased: Youth Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
U.S. Secure Services | Managed Only
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									373,380,000	382,224,000	382,790,000
U.S. Secure Services | Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
U.S. Secure Services | Non-residential Services and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
GEO Care
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									614,249,000	580,313,000	514,166,000
GEO Care | Owned and Leased: Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
GEO Care | Owned and Leased: Community-based
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									176,001,000	170,805,000	149,619,000
GEO Care | Owned and Leased: Youth Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									87,189,000	91,824,000	88,184,000
GEO Care | Managed Only
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									5,523,000	4,981,000	3,495,000
GEO Care | Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
GEO Care | Non-residential Services and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									345,536,000	312,703,000	272,868,000
International
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									232,016,000	253,874,000	195,806,000
International | Owned and Leased: Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
International | Owned and Leased: Community-based
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
International | Owned and Leased: Youth Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
International | Managed Only
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									232,016,000	253,874,000	195,806,000
International | Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
International | Non-residential Services and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									29,978,000	4,226,000	115,404,000
Facility Construction and Design | Owned and Leased: Secure Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
Facility Construction and Design | Owned and Leased: Community-based
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
Facility Construction and Design | Owned and Leased: Youth Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
Facility Construction and Design | Managed Only
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	0	0
Facility Construction and Design | Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									29,978,000	4,226,000	115,404,000
Facility Construction and Design | Non-residential Services and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									0	$ 0	$ 0
Department Of Justice, State Of Victoria | Facility Construction and Design
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total Revenues									$ 0
Number of contracts | contract									1
Number of beds in detention facility | bed									1,300
Facility operation contract term									25 years