Name:	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

CARES Act of 2020 deferred payment related to payroll taxes amount.

No definition available.

Name:	geo_CARESActOf2020DeferredPaymentRelatedToPayrollTaxesAmount
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Commitments and Contingencies.

No definition available.

Name:	geo_CommitmentsAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Contract Award, Renewal Term

No definition available.

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

Contract award term.

No definition available.

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

Cost already spent on existing active capital projects.

No definition available.

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

Estimated construction existing active capital projects cost.

No definition available.

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

Expiration date.

No definition available.

Name:	geo_ExpirationDate
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Extension of contract expired date.

No definition available.

Name:	geo_ExtensionOfContractExpiredDate
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Extension of contract term.

No definition available.

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

Number of deferred payment related to payroll taxes.

No definition available.

Name:	geo_NumberOfDeferredPaymentRelatedToPayrollTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of beds in detention facility

No definition available.

Name:	geo_NumberofBedsinDetentionFacility
Namespace Prefix:	geo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Remaining capital required for existing active capital projects.

No definition available.

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

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 42
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e9054-108599

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393423&loc=d3e6351-108592

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121572278&loc=d3e13531-108611

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121572278&loc=d3e13537-108611

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393423&loc=d3e6404-108592

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Estimated amount of loss resulting from an adverse tax position.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32718-109319

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14435-108349

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_PendingLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=geo_ImmigrationDetaineesAgainstCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_WA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_CA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=geo_BureauOfPrisonsBOPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=geo_SouthTexasICEProcessingCenterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=geo_RiversCorrectionalFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_NC
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=geo_MoshannonValleyCorrectionalFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_PA
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_WorkforceSubjectToCollectiveBargainingArrangementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: