Summary of Business Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 26, 2021	Feb. 28, 2011 GBP (£) director £ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) bed facility person detainee Property	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) bed facility person detainee Property	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) Property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 24, 2021	Jan. 01, 2013
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of beds | bed			86,000		86,000
Correctional, detention and residential treatment facilities including projects under development | facility			106		106
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders, number of individuals (more than) | person			250,000		250,000
Taxable income to its stockholders equity					90.00%
Deferred income taxes and tax credits			$ 70,800,000
Deferred tax provision (benefit)			29,300,000	$ 16,800,000	$ 86,380,000	$ 11,221,000	$ (588,000)
Cash and cash equivalents			506,491,000		$ 506,491,000	283,524,000	$ 32,463,000
Minimum period for payment receivable in arrears for services					30 days
Maximum period for payment receivable in arrears for services					60 days
Federal and state income tax overpayments			10,800,000		$ 10,800,000	$ 0
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property						4
Assets Held for Sale			7,877,000		7,877,000	$ 9,108,000
Impairment charge						$ 5,700,000
Discount rate utilized to adjust cash flow						10.00%
Goodwill impairment charge						$ 21,146,000
Impairment of indefinite lived intangible assets					0
Capitalized computer software, net			10,900,000		10,900,000	12,200,000
Deferred debt issuance cost, accumulated amortization			18,600,000		18,600,000	17,700,000
Debt issuance costs included in other non-current assets			$ 26,700,000		$ 26,700,000	25,200,000
Number of lease facilities | facility			8		8
Rental income					$ 1,800,000
Partnership interest share amount | £		£ 100
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares		100
Value per partnership interest shares | £ / shares		£ 1
Directors appointed to board by each party | director		3
Taxable income to shareholders			90.00%		90.00%				90.00%
General liability insurance maximum recoverage per occurrence					$ 70,000,000.0
General liability insurance maximum coverage in annual aggregate					90,000,000.0
GEO care insurance maximum recoverable per occurrence					40,000,000.0
Deductible amount for general insurance liability					4,000,000.0
Deductible amount for hospital professional insurance liability					5,000,000.0
Deductible amount for worker's compensation insurance liability			$ 2,000,000.0		2,000,000.0
Deductible amount for directors and officers insurance liability					2,500,000
Deductible amount for automobile insurance liability					1,000,000.0
Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)					$ 0	0
Accounting Standards Update 2020-06
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adopted			true		true
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adoption date			Jan. 01, 2021		Jan. 01, 2021
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, immaterial effect			true		true
Accounting Standards Update 2018-14
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adopted			true		true
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adoption date			Jan. 01, 2021		Jan. 01, 2021
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, immaterial effect			true		true
6.50% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2026
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			6.50%		6.50%			6.50%
Accrued Expenses
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Undiscounted reserves for workers compensation and general liability claims			$ 74,200,000		$ 74,200,000	$ 78,900,000
Kensani Corrections
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture					50.00%
Two Years Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of lease facilities | facility			6		6
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract			2 years		2 years
Lessor operating lease expiration period					2023-06
Lessor, operating lease, option to extend					one additional one-year term
Carrying value of leased facilities			$ 42,300,000		$ 42,300,000
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation			$ 17,800,000		$ 17,800,000
Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of lease facilities | facility			1		1
Lessor operating lease expiration period					2023-02
Carrying value of leased facilities			$ 2,100,000		$ 2,100,000
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation			$ 500,000		$ 500,000
Twenty Years Term of Contract
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lessor, operating lease, term of contract			20 years		20 years
Lessor operating lease expiration period					2041-10
Carrying value of leased facilities			$ 17,900,000		$ 17,900,000
Leased facilities accumulated depreciation			$ 15,000,000.0		$ 15,000,000.0
Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period						16 years 3 months 18 days
GEO Care
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property			3		3
Idle Reentry Facility
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property						2
Youth Facility
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Assets held for sale, number of properties | Property						1
Cornell Companies, Inc.
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Accounts receivable one year past due and still accruing					1 year
Foreign Subsidiaries
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			$ 33,000,000.0		$ 33,000,000.0	$ 24,300,000
Ravenhall | The GEO Group Australia
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Facility, number of beds | bed			1,300		1,300
GEO Amey
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ownership percentage			50.00%		50.00%
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares		50
GEO UK
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture					50.00%
Units of partnership interest, amount | shares		50
SACS
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Life term of contract					25 years
Reduction of government guarantee in case of default					80.00%
Investment in joint venture			$ 10,300,000		$ 10,300,000	$ 11,100,000
Bureau of Prisons
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expiration date	Sep. 30, 2022
Minimum
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Provision of monitoring services tracking offenders using technology products (in detainees) | detainee			150,000		150,000
Minimum | Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period					3 years
Minimum | Technology
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period					7 years
Minimum | Building and Building Improvements
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life					2 years
Minimum | Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life					3 years
Minimum | U.S. Marshals Service
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expiration date	Mar. 31, 2022
Maximum | Facility management contracts
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period					21 years
Maximum | Technology
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period					8 years
Maximum | Building and Building Improvements
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life					50 years
Maximum | Equipment and Furniture and Fixtures
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Useful life					10 years
Maximum | U.S. Marshals Service
Summary Of Business Organization Operations And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Expiration date	Sep. 30, 2023