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Summary of Business Organization, Operations and Significant Accounting Policies - Variable Interest Entities (Details) £ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 28, 2011 GBP (£) director £ / shares shares | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture |  | 50.00% |  |
Partnership interest share amount | £ | £ 100 |  |  |
Units of partnership interest, amount | 100 |  |  |
Value per partnership interest shares | £ / shares | £ 1 |  |  |
Directors appointed to board by each party | director | 3 |  |  |
Line of Credit, amount outstanding | $ |  | $ 270,559 |  | $ 515,000
GEO Amey |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Units of partnership interest, amount | 50 |  |  |
Line of Credit, amount outstanding |  | $ 16,200 | £ 12,000,000 |
SACS |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Life term of contract |  | 25 years |  |
Reduction of government guarantee in case of default |  | 80.00% |  |
Investment in joint venture | $ |  | $ 18,100 |  | $ 11,800
GEO UK |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture |  | 50.00% |  |
Units of partnership interest, amount | 50 |  |  |
Kensani Corrections |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Variable interest entity ownership percentage in joint venture |  | 50.00% |  |
Other Noncurrent Assets | GEO Amey |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Due from joint venture, current |  | $ 1,700 | £ 1,300,000 |

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- Definition Amounts due from an entity in which the reporting entity shares joint control with another party or group, due within 1 year (or 1 business cycle). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39599-107864 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(a)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66022249&loc=d3e33749-111570 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
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