The carrying value of convertible subordinated debt due to an affiliate in 2029, which includes the current and noncurrent portion, as of the balance sheet date. The preferred securities of the affiliate, originally issued in a public offering, may be exchanged, at the option of the holder of such securities, into a specified amount of this debt. This form of debt can then be converted for a specified amount of the Company's common stock, at the option of the debt holder, and places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets.

No definition available.

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 business	Dec. 31, 2013 acquisitions funeral_homes	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014 segment states cemeteries funeral_homes	Dec. 31, 2013 funeral_homes	Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Impairment charge for other-than-temporary declines in fair value	$ 400,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
Number of owned and operated funeral homes (in Funeral Homes)				164csv_NumberOfFuneralHomes
Number of states in which the entity operated funeral homes (in States)				27
Number of owned and operated cemeteries (in Cemetaries)				32csv_NumberOfCemeteries
Number of states in which the entity operated cemeteries (in States)				11
Number of business segments				2us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Cumulative payments to trigger recognition, percent of contract price				10.00%
Accounts receivable, current		17,950,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent		19,264,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	17,950,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Bad debt				2,877,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	2,005,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	2,589,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Number Of Institutions To Which Management Services Are Provided				2
The percentage of trust assets in custody of institution receiving trust management services				76.40%
Depreciation				9,200,000us-gaap_Depreciation	8,800,000us-gaap_Depreciation	7,600,000us-gaap_Depreciation
Impairment of long lived assets				0
Deferred tax liability		11,915,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities		36,414,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	11,915,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Incremental common shares attributable to dilutive effect of conversion of debt securities				4.4	4.4
Impairments Indentified				0
Convertible junior subordinated debentures due in 2029 to an affiliate		89,770,000		0	89,770,000
Number of businesses acquired	6us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired	1us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Number of funeral homes acquired		2
Period during which sale is expected to occur after receipt of buyer letter of intent and commitment for reclassfication from continuing to discontinued operations.				1 year
Number of funeral homes sold					7csv_NumberOfFuneralHomesSold
Goodwill Impairment, Two Step Test, Market Approach, Percentage				70.00%
Goodwill Impairment, Two Step Test, Income Approach, Percentage				30.00%
Long-term debt, net of current portion		105,642,000us-gaap_SeniorLongTermNotes		111,887,000us-gaap_SeniorLongTermNotes	105,642,000us-gaap_SeniorLongTermNotes
Change to income tax expense (benefit)				1,700,000us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxes
Unrecognized tax benefits, decrease to interest on income tax expense				600,000
Impairment of goodwill	1,200,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss		1,100,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	1,180,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	100,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	1,100,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Separate Income Tax Return [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of States in Which Entity Files Separate State Income Tax Returns				17
Combined or unitary income tax return
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of States in Which Entity Files Unitary Tax Returns				11
Funeral
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, current		8,400,000		10,000,000	8,400,000
Accounts receivable, noncurrent		8,100,000		7,400,000	8,100,000
Cemetery
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Accounts receivable, current		8,300,000		9,100,000	8,300,000
Accounts receivable, noncurrent		$ 16,500,000		$ 18,900,000	$ 16,500,000
Kentucky
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of funeral homes sold				1	1	2
California
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of funeral homes sold					1
Ohio
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of funeral homes sold				1	1
Kansas
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of funeral homes sold					4
Virginia
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of cemeteries sold					1
Florida
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of funeral homes sold				2