CONSOLIDATION (Adoption of ASU 2015-02 and Deconsolidated Funds) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) entity	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) entity	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Assets	$ 4,321,408	$ 21,638,992	$ 5,829,712
Liabilities	3,329,497		4,452,450
Cumulative effect of accounting change	(3,367)	(4,625,837)
Redeemable interest in Ares Operating Group entities	$ (23,988)	$ (23,947)	(23,505)
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to being liquidated or dissolved | entity	56	3
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to no longer holding majority voting interest | entity		4
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to no longer being primary beneficiary | entity	2	11
Consolidated Funds
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Redeemable interest in Ares Operating Group entities	$ (23,505)	$ (23,988)	0
Non-controlling interest	$ (323,605)		$ (338,035)
Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		56
Assets		$ 17,447,966
Liabilities		11,784,679
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 5,663,287
As originally reported | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		66
Assets		$ 19,953,476
Liabilities		13,962,463
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 0
As adjusted | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		10
Assets		$ 2,505,510
Liabilities		2,177,785
Cumulative effect of accounting change		(5,663,287)
As adjusted | Adoption of ASU 2015-02 | Consolidated Funds
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Redeemable interest in Ares Operating Group entities		1,000,000
Non-controlling interest		$ 4,600,000
CLOs | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		27
Assets		$ 10,572,274
Liabilities		10,597,625
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ (25,352)
CLOs | As originally reported | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		31
Assets		$ 12,682,054
Liabilities		12,719,980
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 0
CLOs | As adjusted | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		4
Assets		$ 2,109,780
Liabilities		2,122,355
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 25,352
Non-CLOs | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		29
Assets		$ 6,875,692
Liabilities		1,187,054
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 5,688,639
Non-CLOs | As originally reported | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		35
Assets		$ 7,271,422
Liabilities		1,242,484
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ 0
Non-CLOs | As adjusted | Adoption of ASU 2015-02
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Number of entities | entity		6
Assets		$ 395,730
Liabilities		55,430
Cumulative effect of accounting change		$ (5,688,639)