Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Risk And Uncertainties	Risks and uncertainties Executive Order On January 26, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the United States Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice (“DOJ”) contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities, as consistent with applicable law. Two agencies of the DOJ, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) and the U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”), utilize GEO’s support services. The BOP houses inmates who have been convicted of federal crimes, and the USMS is generally responsible for detainees who are awaiting trial or sentencing in U.S. federal courts. As of March 31, 2022, GEO has one company-owned facility under direct contract with the BOP, which has a current contract option period that expires on September 30, 2022, and three company-owned/company-leased facilities under direct contracts with USMS, which have current contract option periods that expire between June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023. COVID-19 In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, now known as COVID-19 (“COVID-19”), was reported in Wuhan, China and has since extensively impacted the global health and economic environment. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On February 28, 2020, the WHO raised its assessment of the COVID-19 threat from high to very high at a global level due to the continued increase in the number of cases and affected countries, and on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The Company has been closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted to its care and governmental partners. The Company has incurred disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic but, it is unable to predict the overall future impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties related to the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, the evolution of COVID-19 variants, shelter in-place restrictions, labor shortages and social distancing protocols and increased expenditures on engineering controls, personal protective equipment, diagnostic testing, medical expenses, temperature scanners, protective plexiglass barriers and increased sanitation have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Additionally, the Company has experienced the transmission of COVID-19 among detainees and staff at most of its facilities. If the Company is unable to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 at its facilities it could experience a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Although the Company is unable to predict the duration or scope of the COVID-19 pandemic or estimate the extent of the negative financial impact to its operating results, an extended period of depressed economic activity necessitated to combating the disease, and the severity and duration of the related global economic crisis may adversely impact its future financial performance.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS The following accounting standard will be adopted in future periods: In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Reform Rate (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the contract modifications, hedge relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. This ASU, which was effective upon issuance and may be applied through December 31, 2022, is applicable to all contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate or any other reference rate expected to be discontinued. We are currently evaluating the impact of reference rate reform and the potential application of this guidance. Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the SEC did not, or are not expected to, have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.

Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Risks and uncertainties

Executive Order

On January 26, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order directing the United States Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice (“DOJ”) contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities, as consistent with applicable law. Two agencies of the DOJ, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) and the U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”), utilize GEO’s support services. The BOP houses inmates who have been convicted of federal crimes, and the USMS is generally responsible for detainees who are awaiting trial or sentencing in U.S. federal courts. As of March 31, 2022, GEO has one company-owned facility under direct contract with the BOP, which has a current contract option period that expires on September 30, 2022, and three company-owned/company-leased facilities under direct contracts with USMS, which have current contract option periods that expire between June 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023.

COVID-19

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, now known as COVID-19 (“COVID-19”), was reported in Wuhan, China and has since extensively impacted the global health and economic environment. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On February 28, 2020, the WHO raised its assessment of the COVID-19 threat from high to very high at a global level due to the continued increase in the number of cases and affected countries, and on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic.

The Company has been closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business and geographies, including how it will impact those entrusted to its care and governmental partners. The Company has incurred disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic but, it is unable to predict the overall future impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows due to numerous uncertainties related to the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed mandatory closures, the efficacy and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, the evolution of COVID-19 variants, shelter in-place restrictions, labor shortages and social distancing protocols and increased expenditures on engineering controls, personal protective equipment, diagnostic testing, medical expenses, temperature scanners, protective plexiglass barriers and increased sanitation have had, and will continue to have, a severe impact on global economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates. Additionally, the Company has experienced the transmission of COVID-19 among detainees and staff at most of its facilities. If the Company is unable to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 at its facilities it could experience a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Although the Company is unable to predict the duration or scope of the COVID-19 pandemic or estimate the extent of the negative financial impact to its operating results, an extended period of depressed economic activity necessitated to combating the disease, and the severity and duration of the related global economic crisis may adversely impact its future financial performance.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The following accounting standard will be adopted in future periods:

In March 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Reform Rate (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the contract modifications, hedge relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. This ASU, which was effective upon issuance and may be applied through December 31, 2022, is applicable to all contracts and hedging relationships that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate or any other reference rate expected to be discontinued. We are currently evaluating the impact of reference rate reform and the potential application of this guidance.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the SEC did not, or are not expected to, have a material effect on the Company's results of operations or financial position.