XML 116 R101.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Business Segments and Geographic Information - Additional Information (Details) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) facility | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of reportable business segments | 4 |  |
Number of managed correctional facilities in Australia | facility | 4 |  |
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision | $ 9,166,000 | $ 9,532,000 | $ 9,627,000
SACS |  |  |
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision | 3,700,000 | 5,000,000.0 | 7,400,000
Investment in joint venture | 11,100,000 | 12,300,000 |
Dividend distributions received | 5,900,000 | 6,300,000 |
GEO Amey |  |  |
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net of income tax provision | 5,500,000 | 4,600,000 | $ 2,200,000
Dividend distributions received | 4,000,000.0 | 4,000,000.0 |
Advances to affiliate | $ 11,800,000 | $ 5,700,000 |

X
- Definition Number of managed correctional facilities in Australia + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | geo_NumberOfManagedCorrectionalFacilitiesInAustralia
Namespace Prefix: | geo_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Long-Term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership. This does not include advances to clients. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.6-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120401414&loc=d3e603758-122996 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121566466&loc=d3e6812-107765 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdvancesToAffiliate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8813-108599 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -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=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of income (loss) for proportionate share of equity method investee's income (loss). + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(12)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(10)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(13)(f)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8736-108599 Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 18 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8672-108599 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Dividends received on equity and other investments during the current period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 16 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3337-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromDividendsReceived
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentsByConsolidatedAndNonconsolidatedEntitiesAxis=geo_SouthAfricanCustodialServicesPtyLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentsByConsolidatedAndNonconsolidatedEntitiesAxis=geo_GeoAmeyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |