Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies The Company and its partner companies are involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. In the current opinion of the Company, the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations, however, no assurance can be given as to the outcome of these actions, and one or more adverse rulings could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations or that of its partner companies. The Company records costs associated with legal fees as such services are rendered. The Company had outstanding guarantees of $3.8 million at September 30, 2015 which related to one of the Company's private equity holdings. Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to return a portion or all the distributions it received as a general partner of a private equity fund (“clawback”). The maximum clawback the Company could be required to return due to its general partner interest is approximately $1.3 million, of which $1.0 million was reflected in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and $0.3 million was reflected in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2015. The Company’s ownership in the fund is 19%. The clawback liability is joint and several; therefore the Company may be required to fund the clawback for other general partners should they default. The Company believes its potential liability due to the possibility of default by other general partners is remote. In October 2001, the Company entered into an agreement with a former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, to provide for annual payments of $0.65 million per year and certain health care and other benefits for life. The related current liability of $0.8 million was included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and the long-term portion of $2.3 million was included in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2015. The Company provided a $6.3 million letter of credit expiring on March 19, 2019 to the landlord of CompuCom Systems, Inc.’s Dallas headquarters as required in connection with the sale of CompuCom Systems in 2004. The Company has agreements with certain employees that provide for severance payments to the employee in the event the employee is terminated without cause or an employee terminates his employment for “good reason.” The maximum aggregate exposure under the agreements was approximately $3.0 million at September 30, 2015. In June 2011, the Company's former partner company, Advanced BioHealing, Inc. (“ABH”) was acquired by Shire plc. Prior to the expiration of the escrow period in March 2012, Shire plc filed a claim against all amounts held in escrow related to the sale based principally upon a United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) false claims act investigation relating to ABH. No further proceeds will be distributed to the Company or other former owners until the validity of such claims is determined. The Company presently views it as unlikely that it will receive any portion of such amount in the short or long-term. In connection with the above-referenced investigation, in July 2015 the Company received a Civil Investigation Demand-Documentary Material from the DOJ regarding ABH and Safeguard’s relationship with ABH. Safeguard intends to cooperate with the investigation.

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company and its partner companies are involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. In the current opinion of the Company, the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations, however, no assurance can be given as to the outcome of these actions, and one or more adverse rulings could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations or that of its partner companies. The Company records costs associated with legal fees as such services are rendered.

The Company had outstanding guarantees of $3.8 million at September 30, 2015 which related to one of the Company's private equity holdings.

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to return a portion or all the distributions it received as a general partner of a private equity fund (“clawback”). The maximum clawback the Company could be required to return due to its general partner interest is approximately $1.3 million, of which $1.0 million was reflected in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and $0.3 million was reflected in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2015. The Company’s ownership in the fund is 19%. The clawback liability is joint and several; therefore the Company may be required to fund the clawback for other general partners should they default. The Company believes its potential liability due to the possibility of default by other general partners is remote.

In October 2001, the Company entered into an agreement with a former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, to provide for annual payments of $0.65 million per year and certain health care and other benefits for life. The related current liability of $0.8 million was included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities and the long-term portion of $2.3 million was included in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2015.

The Company provided a $6.3 million letter of credit expiring on March 19, 2019 to the landlord of CompuCom Systems, Inc.’s Dallas headquarters as required in connection with the sale of CompuCom Systems in 2004.

The Company has agreements with certain employees that provide for severance payments to the employee in the event the employee is terminated without cause or an employee terminates his employment for “good reason.” The maximum aggregate exposure under the agreements was approximately $3.0 million at September 30, 2015.

In June 2011, the Company's former partner company, Advanced BioHealing, Inc. (“ABH”) was acquired by Shire plc. Prior to the expiration of the escrow period in March 2012, Shire plc filed a claim against all amounts held in escrow related to the sale based principally upon a United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) false claims act investigation relating to ABH. No further proceeds will be distributed to the Company or other former owners until the validity of such claims is determined. The Company presently views it as unlikely that it will receive any portion of such amount in the short or long-term. In connection with the above-referenced investigation, in July 2015 the Company received a Civil Investigation Demand-Documentary Material from the DOJ regarding ABH and Safeguard’s relationship with ABH. Safeguard intends to cooperate with the investigation.