Commitments and Contingencies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
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 June 30, 2018 which related to one of the Company's private equity holdings. The Company is required to return a portion or all the distributions it received as a general partner of a private equity fund for further distribution to such fund's limited partners (“clawback”). The Company’s ownership in the fund is 19%. The clawback liability is joint and several, such that 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 2017, the Company was notified by the fund's manager that the fund was being dissolved and $1.0 million of the Company's clawback liability was paid. The maximum additional clawback liability is $0.3 million which was reflected in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2018. 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 $1.5 million was included in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2018. The Company previously provided a $6.3 million letter of credit to the landlord of CompuCom Systems, Inc.’s Dallas headquarters as required in connection with the sale of CompuCom Systems in 2004. The letter of credit was secured by cash and was classified as Long-term restricted cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2017. During the first quarter of 2018, the restriction on the cash lapsed in connection with the termination of the related letter of credit and is classified as Cash and cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2018. In January 2018, the Company announced a change in strategy and implemented an initiative to reduce the operating costs of the Company. In April 2018, the Company announced additional management changes intended to further streamline the Company's organizational structure and further reduce its operating costs. In connection with the changes that the Company has implemented, the Company will incur approximately $3.6 million of severance payments to terminated employees that will be paid over approximately twelve months and is being expensed over the remaining requisite service period. The Company recognized $1.7 million and $2.8 million of severance expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, which is included in General and Administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The Company made severance payments of $0.3 million and $0.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, and $2.3 million was classified as accrued compensation and benefits on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2018. The Company has agreements with certain remaining 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 employment and severance agreements for remaining employees was approximately $6.5 million at June 30, 2018. In addition, in April 2018, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company adopted a long-term incentive plan, the Safeguard Scientifics Transaction Bonus Plan, (the “LTIP”). The purpose of the LTIP is to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders by providing an additional incentive to employees to maximize the value of the Company in connection with the execution of the business strategy that the Company adopted and announced in January 2018. Under the LTIP, participants may receive awards in connection with sales of the Company’s partner company assets (“Sale Transaction(s)”). At the Board’s sole discretion following a sale of partner company assets, the Company may, but has no obligation to, provide a bonus pool under the LTIP based on a range of transaction consideration and subject to a minimum amount of transaction consideration. All current officers and employees of the Company are eligible to participate in the LTIP. The Board, in its sole discretion, will determine the participants to whom awards are granted under the LTIP, and the amounts of the awards relating to the bonus pool, if any. The Board has no obligation to grant any awards under the LTIP, even if transaction consideration exceeds the established minimum amount under the plan. There are no amounts payable under the LTIP as of June 30, 2018. In June 2011, the Company's former partner company, Advanced BioHealing, Inc. (“ABH”) was acquired by Shire plc (“Shire”). Prior to the expiration of the escrow period in March 2012, Shire 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 (the “Investigation”). In connection with the Investigation, in July 2015 the Company received a Civil Investigation Demand-Documentary Material (“CID”) from the DOJ regarding ABH and Safeguard’s relationship with ABH. Pursuant to the CID, the Company provided the requested materials and information. To the Company’s knowledge, the CID was related to multiple qui tam (“whistleblower”) actions, one of which was filed in 2014 by an ex-employee of ABH that named the Company and one of the Company’s employees along with other entities and individuals as defendants. At this time, the DOJ has declined to pursue the qui tam action as it relates to the Company and such Company employee. In addition, in connection with the above matters, the Company and other former equity holders in ABH entered into a settlement and release with Shire, which resulted in the release to Shire of all amounts held in escrow related to the sale of ABH.

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 June 30, 2018 which related to one of the Company's private equity holdings.

The Company is required to return a portion or all the distributions it received as a general partner of a private equity fund for further distribution to such fund's limited partners (“clawback”). The Company’s ownership in the fund is 19%. The clawback liability is joint and several, such that 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 2017, the Company was notified by the fund's manager that the fund was being dissolved and $1.0 million of the Company's clawback liability was paid. The maximum additional clawback liability is $0.3 million which was reflected in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2018.

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 $1.5 million was included in Other long-term liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 2018.

The Company previously provided a $6.3 million letter of credit to the landlord of CompuCom Systems, Inc.’s Dallas headquarters as required in connection with the sale of CompuCom Systems in 2004. The letter of credit was secured by cash and was classified as Long-term restricted cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2017. During the first quarter of 2018, the restriction on the cash lapsed in connection with the termination of the related letter of credit and is classified as Cash and cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2018.

In January 2018, the Company announced a change in strategy and implemented an initiative to reduce the operating costs of the Company. In April 2018, the Company announced additional management changes intended to further streamline the Company's organizational structure and further reduce its operating costs. In connection with the changes that the Company has implemented, the Company will incur approximately $3.6 million of severance payments to terminated employees that will be paid over approximately twelve months and is being expensed over the remaining requisite service period. The Company recognized $1.7 million and $2.8 million of severance expense for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, which is included in General and Administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The Company made severance payments of $0.3 million and $0.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, respectively, and $2.3 million was classified as accrued compensation and benefits on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2018.

The Company has agreements with certain remaining 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 employment and severance agreements for remaining employees was approximately $6.5 million at June 30, 2018. In addition, in April 2018, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company adopted a long-term incentive plan, the Safeguard Scientifics Transaction Bonus Plan, (the “LTIP”). The purpose of the LTIP is to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders by providing an additional incentive to employees to maximize the value of the Company in connection with the execution of the business strategy that the Company adopted and announced in January 2018. Under the LTIP, participants may receive awards in connection with sales of the Company’s partner company assets (“Sale Transaction(s)”). At the Board’s sole discretion following a sale of partner company assets, the Company may, but has no obligation to, provide a bonus pool under the LTIP based on a range of transaction consideration and subject to a minimum amount of transaction consideration. All current officers and employees of the Company are eligible to participate in the LTIP. The Board, in its sole discretion, will determine the participants to whom awards are granted under the LTIP, and the amounts of the awards relating to the bonus pool, if any. The Board has no obligation to grant any awards under the LTIP, even if transaction consideration exceeds the established minimum amount under the plan. There are no amounts payable under the LTIP as of June 30, 2018.

In June 2011, the Company's former partner company, Advanced BioHealing, Inc. (“ABH”) was acquired by Shire plc (“Shire”). Prior to the expiration of the escrow period in March 2012, Shire 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 (the “Investigation”). In connection with the Investigation, in July 2015 the Company received a Civil Investigation Demand-Documentary Material (“CID”) from the DOJ regarding ABH and Safeguard’s relationship with ABH. Pursuant to the CID, the Company provided the requested materials and information. To the Company’s knowledge, the CID was related to multiple qui tam (“whistleblower”) actions, one of which was filed in 2014 by an ex-employee of ABH that named the Company and one of the Company’s employees along with other entities and individuals as defendants. At this time, the DOJ has declined to pursue the qui tam action as it relates to the Company and such Company employee. In addition, in connection with the above matters, the Company and other former equity holders in ABH entered into a settlement and release with Shire, which resulted in the release to Shire of all amounts held in escrow related to the sale of ABH.