Commitments, Contingencies and Other Matters - Additional Information (Details)																12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Feb. 15, 2022 shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Installment	Nov. 01, 2021 bed	Oct. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2021 bed	Sep. 30, 2021 bed	Aug. 31, 2021	Aug. 18, 2021 bed	Jul. 01, 2021 USD ($) facility shares	May 27, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 25, 2021 bed	Mar. 15, 2021 bed	Mar. 05, 2021 bed	Sep. 09, 2017 Claim	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) Installment	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Equity incentive award vesting period																3 years
Estimated construction existing active capital projects cost																$ 20,900,000
Cost already spent on existing active capital projects																8,300,000
Remaining capital required for existing active capital projects																12,600,000
Loss contingency, judgement value					$ 23,200,000
Estimate of possible loss																19,800,000
Loss on asset divestiture																$ (5,499,000)	$ 6,831,000	$ 2,693,000
Number of deferred payment installment related to payroll taxes | Installment			2													2
Deferred payment related to payroll taxes amount			$ 20,000,000													$ 20,000,000
Youth Division
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of company -owned youth facilities entered into lease agreements | facility										6
Loss on asset divestiture																$ 4,500,000
Youth Division | Term Note
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses										$ 10,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity date										Jul. 01, 2026
Stated interest rate										5.00%
Principal payments due annually										$ 250,000
Youth Division | Term Note | Abraxas
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Proceeds from related party debt			$ 8,000,000
Youth Division | Grid Note
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date										Dec. 31, 2022
Working capital line of credit										$ 4,000,000
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate										1.00%
Basis spread rate, description																Additionally, the Company had provided a $4 million working capital line of credit (“Grid Note”) which was to mature on December 31, 2022 and bore daily interest at prime minus 1%. Each loan under the Grid Note was payable upon the earlier of (i) on demand, (ii) thirty days from the funding date, or (iii) the maturity date.
Amount drawn from working capital lines of credit																$ 0
Scenario Forecast | Youth Division | Term Note
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of additional payment due on excess cash flow	50.00%
Scenario Forecast | Youth Division | Minimum | Term Note
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Additional payment due equal to 50% of excess cash flow	$ 1,000,000
Pending Litigation | Immigration Detainees Against Company
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of claims filed | Claim															3
Guadalupe County Correctional Facility
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed				600
Life term of contract				2 years
Broward Transitional Center
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Life term of contract								5 years
Aurora ICE Processing Center
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Life term of contract					5 years
Western Region Detention Facility
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed						770
Life term of contract						2 years
Contract effective date						Sep. 30, 2021
Clearfield County
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Life term of contract							5 years
Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed							1,876
Life term of contract							5 years
George W. Hill Correctional Facility
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Contract effective date				Apr. 30, 2022
Big Springs
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed									1,732
Contract effective date									Nov. 30, 2022
Flightline Correctional Facilities
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed									1,800
Contract effective date									Nov. 30, 2022
Great Plains Correctional Facility
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed														1,940
Contract effective date														May 31, 2021
Queens Detention Facilities
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed													222
Contract effective date													Mar. 31, 2021
Reeves County Detention Center I & II
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Design Capacity | bed												1,800
Contract effective date												May 10, 2021
Expiration date												Sep. 30, 2022
WASHINGTON | Pending Litigation | Immigration Detainees Against Company
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of claims filed | Claim															2
CALIFORNIA | Pending Litigation | Immigration Detainees Against Company
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of claims filed | Claim															1
Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements | Labor Force Concentration Risk | United States and International
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage																42.00%
Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements Expiring within One Year | Labor Force Concentration Risk | United States and International
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Concentration risk, percentage																14.00%
Performance Shares
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of shares granted | shares		975,000
George C. Zoley
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Existing agreement termination date											Jun. 30, 2021
Agreement term											5 years
Agreement effective date											Jul. 01, 2021
Existing employment agreement base annual salary and bonus payable											$ 5,851,555
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, description																Additionally, pursuant to the terms of Mr. Zoley’s prior employment agreement, Mr. Zoley received payments in the amount of $5,851,555, less any applicable taxes and withholdings, which represents the sum of two (2) years of Mr. Zoley’s base annualized salary and two (2) times Mr. Zoley’s target bonus at the time under GEO’s Senior Management Performance Award Plan.
Accrued dividends received											$ 579,600
George C. Zoley | Separation And General Release Agreement
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, description																Lastly, Mr. Zoley is entitled to receive certain fringe benefits for a ten (10) year period as set forth in the Separation Agreement, including payment of health insurance premiums under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) for eighteen (18) months and reimbursement of the cost of health insurance coverage for eight and a half (81⁄2) years following the first eighteen (18) months, life insurance, the use of an executive automobile, and personal use of the Company leased aircraft for thirty (30) hours per year. In the event of Mr. Zoley’s death within such ten (10) year period, the Company will continue to provide the fringe benefits to Mr. Zoley’s covered dependents, and, if applicable to Mr. Zoley’s estate
Fringe benefits entitlement period											10 years
Health insurance premium payment entitlement period											18 months
Health insurance coverage cost reimbursement entitlement period											8 years 6 months
Life insurance entitlement period											18 months
Executive automobile and aircraft usage entitlement period																thirty (30) hours per year
George C. Zoley | Executive Chairman Agreement
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreement term										5 years
Agreement effective date										Jul. 01, 2021
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, description																Under the terms of the Executive Chairman Agreement, Mr. Zoley will be paid an annual base salary of $1.0 million and will be eligible to receive target annual performance awards equal to 100% of base salary in accordance with the terms of any plan governing senior management performance awards. Mr. Zoley will also be entitled to receive an annual equity incentive award with a grant date fair value equal to 100% of base salary and subject to a time-based vesting schedule of one (1) year from the date of grant. Additionally, the Company will credit Mr. Zoley’s account balance under the Amended and Restated Executive Retirement Agreement on an annual basis in an amount equal to 100% of his base salary.
Agreement termination date										Jun. 30, 2026
Agreement renewal term										1 year
Agreement termination minimum period for written notice										1 year
Annual base salary payable										$ 1,000,000.0
Equity incentive award vesting period										1 year
Non-competition covenant period upon termination										3 years
George C. Zoley | Amended and Restated Executive Retirement Agreement
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreement effective date										Jul. 01, 2021
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, cash payment										$ 3,600,000
Deferred compensation, interest rate on cash payment										5.00%
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, employer contribution										$ 1,000,000
Deferred compensation, interest rate on employer contribution										5.00%
Deferred compensation, lump sum cash payment, delay period										6 months
Jose Gordo | Executive Employment Agreement
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Agreement term										3 years
Agreement effective date										Jul. 01, 2021
Deferred compensation arrangement with individual, description																The Employment Agreement provides that upon the termination of the agreement by Mr. Gordo for good reason, by the Company without cause or upon the death or disability of Mr. Gordo, he will be entitled to receive a termination payment equal to two (2) times the sum of his annual base salary plus target bonus for the fiscal year in which his employment is terminated or, if greater, the target bonus for the fiscal year immediately prior to such termination.
Agreement renewal term										3 years
Agreement termination minimum period for written notice										30 days
Annual base salary payable										$ 900,000
Non-competition covenant period upon termination										3 years
Percentage of annual performance award entitled										85.00%
Executive benefits cover period upon termination										5 years
Percentage of interest rate on unpaid termination payment										18.00%
Jose Gordo | Executive Employment Agreement | Performance Shares
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Equity incentive award vesting period										3 years
Number of shares granted | shares										50,000