CONSOLIDATION (Adoption of ASU 2015-02 and Deconsolidated Funds) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) entity	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) entity	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) entity
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Assets	$ 5,829,712	$ 4,321,408	$ 8,563,522
Liabilities	4,452,450		$ 7,103,230
Cumulative effect of accounting change		(3,367)		$ (4,625,837)
Redeemable interest in Ares Operating Group entities	$ (23,505)	$ (23,988)
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to being liquidated or dissolved | entity	56
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to no longer holding majority voting interest | entity		2
Number of certain funds deconsolidated due to no longer being primary beneficiary | entity	2
Consolidated Funds
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Redeemable interest in Ares Operating Group entities	$ 0	$ (23,505)
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)