Debt Covenant, Asset Proceeds, Excess Proceeds

No definition available.

Name:	geo_DebtCovenantAssetProceedsExcessProceeds
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Covenant, Indenture Agreement, Period After Notice

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	geo_DebtCovenantIndentureAgreementPeriodAfterNotice
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Notice Period Prior to Redemption

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	geo_DebtInstrumentNoticePeriodPriorToRedemption
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Redemption Period, Change in Control, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	geo_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodChangeinControlPercentageofPrincipalAmountRedeemable
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=geo_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=geo_SixPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesDue2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=geo_SixPercentSeniorNotesDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt (5.875% Senior Notes) (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Debt (5.875% Senior Notes) (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Apr. 18, 2016	Oct. 03, 2013
5.875% Senior Notes \| 2020 and thereafter
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price percentage	100.00%
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	5.125%
Senior Notes \| 6.625% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	6.625%	6.625%
Senior Notes \| 6.00% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount			$ 350,000,000.0
Stated interest rate	6.00%
Percentage of principal amount redeemable	101.00%
Senior Notes \| 6.00% Senior Notes \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notice period prior to redemption	60 days
Senior Notes \| 6.00% Senior Notes \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notice period prior to redemption	30 days
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount				$ 250,000,000.0
Stated interest rate	5.875%	5.875%
Percentage of principal amount redeemable	101.00%
Debt covenant, asset proceeds, excess proceeds	$ 25,000,000.0
Debt covenant, indenture agreement, period after notice	60 days
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Notes \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notice period prior to redemption	60 years
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Notes \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notice period prior to redemption	30 years