OPERATING SEGMENTS (Summarized Operating Segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	$ 39,850	$ 40,884	$ 123,713	$ 124,157
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	827	620	5,149	2,298
Total revenues	40,677	41,504	128,862	126,455
Segment operating expenses	(27,943)	(24,266)	(127,564)	(71,906)
General and administrative expenses	(4,053)	(2,426)	(11,531)	(8,309)
Provision for credit losses	400	(559)	(278)	(3,342)
Depreciation and amortization	(504)	(453)	(1,476)	(1,369)
Impairment on available for sale securities	(151)		(4,497)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		69		439
Interest expense	(450)	(467)	(1,326)	(1,447)
Other income (expense), net	5,163	3,821	32,298	17,819
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(14,680)	(14,223)	(10,480)	(48,812)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	(1,541)	3,000	4,008	9,528
Total assets	2,943,994	2,763,102	2,943,994	2,763,102	$ 2,900,382
RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities			5,149	2,298
Total revenues	20,669	19,829	68,669	61,627
General and administrative expenses	(4,053)	(2,426)	(11,531)	(8,309)
Provision for credit losses	400	(559)	(278)	(3,342)
Depreciation and amortization	(504)	(453)	(1,476)	(1,369)
Impairment on available for sale securities	(151)	0	(4,497)	0
Interest expense	(450)	(467)	(1,326)	(1,447)
Other income (expense), net	(52)	80	15	263
RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	334	887	1,702	4,663
Total revenues	23,705	25,811	72,267	74,884
General and administrative expenses	(4,372)	(3,716)	(13,222)	(11,305)
Depreciation and amortization	(628)	(562)	(1,814)	(2,158)
Impairment on available for sale securities			(59)	0
Interest expense	(16,906)	(11,508)	(47,611)	(31,746)
Other income (expense), net	5,215	3,730	32,268	17,527
Total assets	2,786,042	2,589,013	2,786,042	2,589,013	2,728,012
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	16,788	14,377	52,787	41,681
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(593)	(88)	1,490	(669)
Total revenues	16,195	14,289	54,277	41,012
Segment operating expenses	(11,223)	(9,384)	(34,804)	(27,364)
General and administrative expenses	(1,260)	(804)	(3,515)	(2,631)
Provision for credit losses	(3)	(8)	(311)	2
Depreciation and amortization	(318)	(309)	(973)	(927)
Impairment on available for sale securities	0		0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		0		0
Interest expense	(177)	(190)	(539)	(577)
Other income (expense), net	250	280	721	647
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(37)	(9)	(92)	(53)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	3,427	3,865	14,764	10,109
Total assets	201,835	187,668	201,835	187,668
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Fund Management [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	2,380	4,320	8,471	17,136
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	2,028	1,237	5,855	3,637
Total revenues	4,408	5,557	14,326	20,773
Segment operating expenses	(3,369)	(2,812)	(9,513)	(9,980)
General and administrative expenses	(154)	(416)	(889)	(1,314)
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(15)	(16)	(47)	(47)
Impairment on available for sale securities	(151)		(4,497)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		69		439
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	433	533	1,349	1,659
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	1,152	2,915	729	11,530
Total assets	38,816	58,689	38,816	58,689
Operating Segments [Member] | Commercial Finance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	71	21	104	21
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(5)	(38)	(38)	(179)
Total revenues	66	(17)	66	(158)
Segment operating expenses	(434)	(125)	(1,471)	(351)
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	403	(551)	33	(3,344)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment on available for sale securities	0		0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		0		0
Interest expense	0	(2)	(1)	(11)
Other income (expense), net	(265)	19	(262)	17
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	(230)	(676)	(1,635)	(3,847)
Total assets	4,469	4,301	4,469	4,301
Operating Segments [Member] | All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	0	0	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Segment operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	(2,639)	(1,206)	(7,127)	(4,364)
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(171)	(128)	(456)	(395)
Impairment on available for sale securities	0		0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		0		0
Interest expense	(273)	(275)	(786)	(859)
Other income (expense), net	(32)	(180)	(419)	(344)
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	(3,115)	(1,789)	(8,788)	(5,962)
Total assets	(87,168)	(76,569)	(87,168)	(76,569)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(3,697)
Total assets	157,952	174,089	157,952	174,089
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	19,239	18,718	61,362	58,838
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	1,430	1,111	7,307	2,789
Total revenues	20,669	19,829	68,669	61,627
Segment operating expenses	(15,026)	(12,321)	(45,788)	(37,695)
General and administrative expenses	(4,053)	(2,426)	(11,531)	(8,309)
Provision for credit losses	400	(559)	(278)	(3,342)
Depreciation and amortization	(504)	(453)	(1,476)	(1,369)
Impairment on available for sale securities	(151)		(4,497)
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		69		439
Interest expense	(450)	(467)	(1,326)	(1,447)
Other income (expense), net	386	652	1,389	1,979
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(37)	(9)	(92)	(53)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	1,234	4,315	5,070	11,830
Total assets	187,652		187,652
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	23,705	25,811	72,267	74,884
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	23,705	25,811	72,267	74,884
Segment operating expenses	(15,994)	(15,447)	(91,589)	(43,585)
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment on available for sale securities	0		0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	5,215	3,730	32,268	17,527
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(7,944)	(14,214)	(24,808)	(48,759)
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	4,982	(120)	(11,862)	67
Total assets	2,786,042		2,786,042		$ 2,728,679
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues from external customers	(3,094)	(3,645)	(9,916)	(9,565)
Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated entities	(603)	(491)	(2,158)	(491)
Total revenues	(3,697)	(4,136)	(12,074)	(10,056)
Segment operating expenses	3,077	3,502	9,813	9,374
General and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Provision for credit losses	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment on available for sale securities	0		0
Gain on sale of investment securities, net		0		0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(438)	(561)	(1,359)	(1,687)
Pretax loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,699)	0	14,420	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of noncontrolling interests before taxes	(7,757)	(1,195)	10,800	(2,369)
Total assets	(29,700)		(29,700)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RAI [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense		0
Other income (expense), net	(438)	$ (572)	(1,374)	$ (1,716)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | RSO [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	$ 0		$ 0