Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Allowance for bad debts, current portion
Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 847	$ 1,177	$ 928
Charged to costs and expenses	1,705	1,225	1,614
Deduction	1,425	1,555	1,365
Balance at end of year	1,127	847	1,177
Allowance for preneed bad debts, contract cancellations and receivables from preneed trusts, non-current portion
Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	1,825	2,059	1,728
Charged to costs and expenses	1,284	768	903
Deduction	770	1,002	572
Balance at end of year	2,339	1,825	2,059
Employee severance accruals
Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	249	158	157
Charged to costs and expenses	681	755	486
Deduction	714	664	485
Balance at end of year	216	249	158
Litigation reserves
Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	17	108	1,026
Charged to costs and expenses	0	0	0
Deduction	14	91	918
Balance at end of year	3	17	108
Valuation allowance of the deferred tax asset
Movement in Valuation Allowances and Reserves [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	468	317	1,335
Charged to costs and expenses	0	227	0
Deduction	138	76	1,018
Balance at end of year	$ 330	$ 468	$ 317

Name:	us-gaap_MovementInValuationAllowancesAndReservesRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Total of allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 09

-Article 12

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesBalance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total of the deductions in a given period to allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, representing receivables written off as uncollectible and portions of the reserves utilized, respectively.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesDeductions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=csv_ReserveForSeveranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsCurrentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsNoncurrentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_LegalReserveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceOfDeferredTaxAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: