BUSINESS COMBINATIONS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2017	Jan. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Units issued (in units)			82,280,033	80,814,732
Goodwill			$ 143,895	$ 143,724	$ 144,067
EIF Management, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred		$ 149,171
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Cash		64,532
Equity (1,578,947 Ares Operating Group units)		$ 25,468
Units issued (in units)		1,578,947
Contingent consideration		$ 59,171
Total		149,171
Fair value of the acquired net assets		90,600
Goodwill		58,600
The fair value of the cash and equity portion		$ 59,200
Pro Forma Information
Total revenues			56,659
Net income attributable to Ares Management, L.P.			$ 2,267
Earnings per common unit, basic and diluted (USD per share)			$ 0.03
American Capital Ltd. | ARCC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration transferred	$ 4,200,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Cash	275,200
Total	$ 4,200,000
Minimum | EIF Management, LLC
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Fund V final closing vesting period		2 years
Maximum | EIF Management, LLC
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred [Abstract]
Fund V final closing vesting period		5 years