Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Risk And Uncertainties	Risks and uncertainties Executive Order On January 26, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the United States Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice (“DOJ”) contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities, as consistent with applicable law (the “Executive Order”). Two agencies of the DOJ, the Bureau of Prisons “(BOP”) and U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”), utilize GEO’s services. The BOP houses inmates who have been convicted of federal crimes, and the USMS is generally responsible for detainees who are awaiting trial or sentencing in U.S. federal courts. GEO’s contracts with the BOP for its company-owned 1,940-bed Great Plains Correctional Facility, company-owned 1,732-bed Big Spring Correctional Facility, company-owned 1,800-bed Flightline Correctional Facility, and company-owned 1,800-bed North Lake Correctional Facility have renewal option periods that expire on May 31, 2021, November 30, 2021, November 30, 2021, and September 30, 2022, respectively. Additionally, the contracts with the BOP for the county owned and managed 1,800-bed Reeves County Detention Center I & II and the 1,376-bed Reeves County Detention Center III have renewal option periods that expire September 30, 2022 and June 30, 2022, respectively. The Company has a management agreement with Reeves County, Texas for the management oversight of these two county-owned facilities. In total, the Great Plains, Big Spring, Flightline, North Lake Correctional Facilities, Reeves County Detention Center I & II and Reeves County Detention Center III generated approximately $145 million in revenues during the year ended December 31, 2020. The BOP has experienced a decline in federal prison populations over the last several years, a trend that has more recently been accelerated by the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result of the Executive Order and the decline in federal prison populations, the above described contracts with the BOP may not be renewed over the coming years. On March 5, 2021, the Company was notified by the BOP that it has decided to not exercise its contract renewal option for the company-owned, 1,940-bed Great Plains Correctional Facility in Oklahoma, when the contract base period expires on May 31, 2021. On March 25, 2021 the Company was notified that the BOP will terminate its contract with the county-owned and managed Reeves I & II effective May 10, 2021. On March 15, 2021, the Company announced that the USMS has decided to not exercise the contract renewal option for its company-owned, 222-bed Queens Detention Facility in New York, when the contract base period ended on March 31, 2021. Quarterly Dividends On April 7, 2021, GEO announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) had immediately suspended GEO’s quarterly dividend payments with the goal of maximizing the use of cash flows to repay debt, deleverage and internally fund growth. While GEO currently intends to maintain its corporate tax structure as a REIT, the Board is evaluating GEO’s corporate tax structure as a REIT. The Board’s evaluation of the current corporate tax structure and GEO’s REIT status is expected to take into consideration, among other factors, potential changes to GEO’s financial operating performance, as well as, potential changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) applicable to U.S. corporations and REITs. As a part of this evaluation, GEO has engaged financial advisors and legal advisors to assist in evaluating various capital structure alternatives. The Board expects to conclude its evaluation in the fourth quarter of 2021, and should the Board determine to maintain GEO’s REIT status, an additional dividend payment may be required before year-end in order to meet the minimum REIT distribution requirements under the Code. COVID-19 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 has been closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted to its care and governmental partners. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company did incur disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic but, it is unable to predict the overall future impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties related to the pandemic.The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, shelter in-place restrictions and social distancing protocols and increased expenditures on engineering controls, personal protective equipment, diagnostic testing, medical expenses, temperature scanners, protective plexiglass barriers and increased sanitation have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Starting in early 2020, the Company began to observe negative impacts from the pandemic on its performance in its secure services business, specifically with its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) Processing Centers and U.S. Marshals Facilities, as a result of declines in crossings and apprehensions along the Southwest border and a decrease in court sentencing at the federal level. Various governmental agencies have also taken steps to decrease the number of those in custody to adhere to social distancing protocols. Additionally, the Company’s 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 among detainees and staff at most of its facilities during 2020 and continuing into 2021. 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 may adversely impact its future financial performance.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS The Company implemented the following accounting standards during the three months ended March 31, 2021: In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options”. The guidance in this update simplifies the accounting for convertible debt and convertible preferred stock by removing the requirements to separately present certain conversion features in equity. In addition, the amendments in the ASU also simplify the guidance in ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging: Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” by removing certain criteria that must be satisfied in order to classify a contract as equity, which is expected to decrease the number of freestanding instruments and embedded derivatives accounted for as assets or liabilities. Finally, the amendments revise the guidance on calculating earnings per share, requiring use of the if-converted method for all convertible instruments and rescinding an entity’s ability to rebut the presumption of share settlement for instruments that may be settled in cash or shares. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company elected to early adopt this standard effective January 1, 2021. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Reform Rate (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the contract modifications, hedge relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. This ASU, which was effective upon issuance and may be applied through December 31, 2022, is applicable to all contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate or any other reference rate expected to be discontinued. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of reference rate reform and the potential application of this guidance. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, "Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General (Topic 715.20)" as a part of its disclosure framework project. The amendments in this update remove, modify and add certain disclosures primarily related to amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year, explanations for reasons for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation for the period, and projected and accumulated benefit obligations. The new standard became effective for the Company on January 1, 2021. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the SEC did not, or are not expected to, have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Risks and uncertainties

Executive Order

On January 26, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the United States Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice (“DOJ”) contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities, as consistent with applicable law (the “Executive Order”). Two agencies of the DOJ, the Bureau of Prisons “(BOP”) and U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”), utilize GEO’s services. The BOP houses inmates who have been convicted of federal crimes, and the USMS is generally responsible for detainees who are awaiting trial or sentencing in U.S. federal courts. GEO’s contracts with the BOP for its company-owned 1,940-bed Great Plains Correctional Facility, company-owned 1,732-bed Big Spring Correctional Facility, company-owned 1,800-bed Flightline Correctional Facility, and company-owned 1,800-bed North Lake Correctional Facility have renewal option periods that expire on May 31, 2021, November 30, 2021, November 30, 2021, and September 30, 2022, respectively. Additionally, the contracts with the BOP for the county owned and managed 1,800-bed Reeves County Detention Center I & II and the 1,376-bed Reeves County Detention Center III have renewal option periods that expire September 30, 2022 and June 30, 2022, respectively. The Company has a management agreement with Reeves County, Texas for the management oversight of these two county-owned facilities. In total, the Great Plains, Big Spring, Flightline, North Lake Correctional Facilities, Reeves County Detention Center I & II and Reeves County Detention Center III generated approximately $145 million in revenues during the year ended December 31, 2020. The BOP has experienced a decline in federal prison populations over the last several years, a trend that has more recently been accelerated by the COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result of the Executive Order and the decline in federal prison populations, the above described contracts with the BOP may not be renewed over the coming years. On March 5, 2021, the Company was notified by the BOP that it has decided to not exercise its contract renewal option for the company-owned, 1,940-bed Great Plains Correctional Facility in Oklahoma, when the contract base period expires on May 31, 2021. On March 25, 2021 the Company was notified that the BOP will terminate its contract with the county-owned and managed Reeves I & II effective May 10, 2021. On March 15, 2021, the Company announced that the USMS has decided to not exercise the contract renewal option for its company-owned, 222-bed Queens Detention Facility in New York, when the contract base period ended on March 31, 2021.

Quarterly Dividends

On April 7, 2021, GEO announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) had immediately suspended GEO’s quarterly dividend payments with the goal of maximizing the use of cash flows to repay debt, deleverage and internally fund growth. While GEO currently intends to maintain its corporate tax structure as a REIT, the Board is evaluating GEO’s corporate tax structure as a REIT. The Board’s evaluation of the current corporate tax structure and GEO’s REIT status is expected to take into consideration, among other factors, potential changes to GEO’s financial operating performance, as well as, potential changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) applicable to U.S. corporations and REITs. As a part of this evaluation, GEO has engaged financial advisors and legal advisors to assist in evaluating various capital structure alternatives. The Board expects to conclude its evaluation in the fourth quarter of 2021, and should the Board determine to maintain GEO’s REIT status, an additional dividend payment may be required before year-end in order to meet the minimum REIT distribution requirements under the Code.

COVID-19

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 has been closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted to its care and governmental partners. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company did incur disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic but, it is unable to predict the overall future impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties related to the pandemic.The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, shelter in-place restrictions and social distancing protocols and increased expenditures on engineering controls, personal protective equipment, diagnostic testing, medical expenses, temperature scanners, protective plexiglass barriers and increased sanitation have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Starting in early 2020, the Company began to observe negative impacts from the pandemic on its performance in its secure services business, specifically with its U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) Processing Centers and U.S. Marshals Facilities, as a result of declines in crossings and apprehensions along the Southwest border and a decrease in court sentencing at the federal level. Various governmental agencies have also taken steps to decrease the number of those in custody to adhere to social distancing protocols. Additionally, the Company’s 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 among detainees and staff at most of its facilities during 2020 and continuing into 2021. 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 may adversely impact its future financial performance.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The Company implemented the following accounting standards during the three months ended March 31, 2021:

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options”. The guidance in this update simplifies the accounting for convertible debt and convertible preferred stock by removing the requirements to separately present certain conversion features in equity. In addition, the amendments in the ASU also simplify the guidance in ASC 815-40, “Derivatives and Hedging: Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” by removing certain criteria that must be satisfied in order to classify a contract as equity, which is expected to decrease the number of freestanding instruments and embedded derivatives accounted for as assets or liabilities. Finally, the amendments revise the guidance on calculating earnings per share, requiring use of the if-converted method for all convertible instruments and rescinding an entity’s ability to rebut the presumption of share settlement for instruments that may be settled in cash or shares. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company elected to early adopt this standard effective January 1, 2021. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Reform Rate (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the contract modifications, hedge relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. This ASU, which was effective upon issuance and may be applied through December 31, 2022, is applicable to all contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate or any other reference rate expected to be discontinued. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of reference rate reform and the potential application of this guidance.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, "Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General (Topic 715.20)" as a part of its disclosure framework project. The amendments in this update remove, modify and add certain disclosures primarily related to amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year, explanations for reasons for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation for the period, and projected and accumulated benefit obligations. The new standard became effective for the Company on January 1, 2021. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the SEC did not, or are not expected to, have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.