EARNINGS PER COMMON UNIT (Antidilutive) (Details) - shares	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Ares Operating Group
Earnings per common unit
Antidilutive securities excluded from calculation of earnings per common unit (in units)	130,244,013	131,499,652	132,427,608
Options
Earnings per common unit
Antidilutive securities excluded from calculation of earnings per common unit (in units)	21,001,916	22,781,597	24,082,415
Restricted units
Earnings per common unit
Antidilutive securities excluded from calculation of earnings per common unit (in units)	14,105,481	47,182	4,657,761

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Antidilution
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505113

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Diluted Earnings Per Share
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510752

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Contingent Stock Agreement
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508534

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration