Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation, and subsidiaries (the “Company” or “GEO”) is a fully-integrated real estate investment trust (“REIT”) specializing in the design, financing, development and operation of secure facilities, processing centers and community reentry centers in the United States, Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. The Company owns, leases and operates a broad range of facilities including maximum, medium and minimum security facilities, processing centers, as well as community-based reentry facilities and offers an expanded delivery of rehabilitation services under its 'GEO Continuum of Care' platform. The 'GEO Continuum of Care' program integrates enhanced rehabilitative programs, which are evidence-based and include cognitive behavioral treatment and post-release services, and provides academic and vocational classes in life skills and treatment programs while helping individuals reintegrate into their communities. The Company develops new facilities based on contract awards, using its project development expertise and experience to design, construct and finance what it believes are state-of-the-art facilities that maximize security and efficiency. The Company provides innovative compliance technologies, industry-leading monitoring services, and evidence-based supervision and treatment programs for community-based parolees, probationers and pretrial defendants. The Company also provides secure transportation services for individuals as contracted domestically and in the United Kingdom through its joint venture GEO Amey PECS Ltd. (“GEOAmey”). At March 31, 2020, the Company’s worldwide operations include the management and/or ownership of approximately 94,000 beds at 126 facilities, including idle facilities, projects under development and recently awarded contracts, and also include the provision of community supervision services for more than 210,000 individuals, including approximately 100,000 through an array of technology products including radio frequency, GPS, and alcohol monitoring devices. The Company's unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and the instructions to Form 10-Q and consequently do not include all disclosures required by Form 10-K. The accounting policies followed for quarterly financial reporting are the same as those disclosed in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2020 for the year ended December 31, 2019. The accompanying December 31, 2019 consolidated balance sheet has been derived from those audited financial statements. Additional information may be obtained by referring to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring items) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information for the interim periods reported in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been made. Results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2020, or for any other future interim or annual periods. Risks and uncertainties In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, now known as COVID-19 (“COVID-19”), was reported in Wuhan, China and has since extensively impacted the global health and economic environment. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On February 28, 2020, the WHO raised its assessment of the COVID-19 threat from high to very high at a global level due to the continued increase in the number of cases and affected countries, and on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The Company is closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted in its care and governmental partners. While the Company did not incur significant disruptions during the three months ended March 31, 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unable to predict the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties. The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, shelter in-place restrictions and social distancing protocols have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Starting in late March and early April, the Company began to observe negative impacts from the pandemic on its performance in its secure services business, specifically with its ICE Processing Centers and U.S. Marshals Facilities, as a result of declines in crossings and apprehensions along the Southwest border, as well as, a decrease in court sentencing at the federal level. Additionally, its reentry services business conducted through its GEO Care business segment has also been negatively impacted, specifically its residential reentry centers and non-residential day reporting programs were impacted by declines in programs due to lower levels of referrals by federal, state and local agencies. Additionally, the Company has experienced the transmission of COVID-19 at a small number of our facilities in the second quarter of 2020. If the Company is unable to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 at its facilities it could experience a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Although the Company is unable to predict the duration or scope of the COVID-19 pandemic or estimate the extent of the negative financial impact to its operating results, an extended period of depressed economic activity necessitated to combating the disease, and the severity and duration of the related global economic crisis will adversely impact its future financial performance.

Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation, and subsidiaries (the “Company” or “GEO”) is a fully-integrated real estate investment trust (“REIT”) specializing in the design, financing, development and operation of secure facilities, processing centers and community reentry centers in the United States, Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. The Company owns, leases and operates a broad range of facilities including maximum, medium and minimum security facilities, processing centers, as well as community-based reentry facilities and offers an expanded delivery of rehabilitation services under its 'GEO Continuum of Care' platform. The 'GEO Continuum of Care' program integrates enhanced rehabilitative programs, which are evidence-based and include cognitive behavioral treatment and post-release services, and provides academic and vocational classes in life skills and treatment programs while helping individuals reintegrate into their communities. The Company develops new facilities based on contract awards, using its project development expertise and experience to design, construct and finance what it believes are state-of-the-art facilities that maximize security and efficiency. The Company provides innovative compliance technologies, industry-leading monitoring services, and evidence-based supervision and treatment programs for community-based parolees, probationers and pretrial defendants. The Company also provides secure transportation services for individuals as contracted domestically and in the United Kingdom through its joint venture GEO Amey PECS Ltd. (“GEOAmey”). At March 31, 2020, the Company’s worldwide operations include the management and/or ownership of approximately 94,000 beds at 126 facilities, including idle facilities, projects under development and recently awarded contracts, and also include the provision of community supervision services for more than 210,000 individuals, including approximately 100,000 through an array of technology products including radio frequency, GPS, and alcohol monitoring devices.

The Company's unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and the instructions to Form 10-Q and consequently do not include all disclosures required by Form 10-K. The accounting policies followed for quarterly financial reporting are the same as those disclosed in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2020 for the year ended December 31, 2019. The accompanying December 31, 2019 consolidated balance sheet has been derived from those audited financial statements. Additional information may be obtained by referring to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring items) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial information for the interim periods reported in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q have been made. Results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2020, or for any other future interim or annual periods.

Risks and uncertainties

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, now known as COVID-19 (“COVID-19”), was reported in Wuhan, China and has since extensively impacted the global health and economic environment. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On February 28, 2020, the WHO raised its assessment of the COVID-19 threat from high to very high at a global level due to the continued increase in the number of cases and affected countries, and on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic.

The Company is closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted in its care and governmental partners. While the Company did not incur significant disruptions during the three months ended March 31, 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is unable to predict the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties.

The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, shelter in-place restrictions and social distancing protocols have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Starting in late March and early April, the Company began to observe negative impacts from the pandemic on its performance in its secure services business, specifically with its ICE Processing Centers and U.S. Marshals Facilities, as a result of declines in crossings and apprehensions along the Southwest border, as well as, a decrease in court sentencing at the federal level. Additionally, its reentry services business conducted through its GEO Care business segment has also been negatively impacted, specifically its residential reentry centers and non-residential day reporting programs were impacted by declines in programs due to lower levels of referrals by federal, state and local agencies. Additionally, the Company has experienced the transmission of COVID-19 at a small number of our facilities in the second quarter of 2020. If the Company is unable to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 at its facilities it could experience a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Although the Company is unable to predict the duration or scope of the COVID-19 pandemic or estimate the extent of the negative financial impact to its operating results, an extended period of depressed economic activity necessitated to combating the disease, and the severity and duration of the related global economic crisis will adversely impact its future financial performance.