Wackenhut Corrections Corporation (WCC) was formed as a division of The Wackenhut Corporation (TWC) in 1984. George C. Zoley was instrumental to the development and marketing of correctional services to government agencies.

Receives first contract award, the Aurora Processing Center, providing secure residential care, for the federal government.

WCC incorporates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TWC.

Enters the international markets by launching wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Australasian Correctional Management PTY Ltd. (later renamed GEO Australia) and forming Premier Custodial Group Ltd., a United Kingdom joint venture providing prisoner transportation, court custody, and correctional services. 

Wholly-owned subsidiary ACM was awarded its first contract to design, build, and operate the Junee Correctional Centre for the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services. This contract was the first privately operated correctional center in New South Wales.

In July, WCC goes public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 2.2 million shares on the NASDAQ®.

In 1996, GEO (then Wackenhut Corrections Corporation, WCC) moved from the NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). 

Atlantic Shores Healthcare, Inc. (later renamed GEO Care) is created. This former wholly-owned subsidiary was formed to provide premier behavioral and mental health care services to state and local government agencies.

Receives award to manage the first comprehensive privately-operated state psychiatric hospital in the US. Takes over the operation and management of the 335-bed South Florida State Hospital November 1998.

Co-creates Correctional Properties Trust (later known as CentraCore Properties Trust), a real estate investment trust. Formed to support the growing trend towards utilizing privately sourced capital in the corrections industry.

Establishes, via joint venture, South African Custodial Management (SACM), the operating arm of South African Custodial Services (SACS), which is awarded a 25-year contract to design, construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre beginning July 1999.

Group 4 Falck (now G4S) merges with The Wackenhut Corporation (WTC) and becomes the indirect owner of majority stake in WCC.

Completes repurchase of majority stake, 12 million shares of WCC common stock, from G4S. This historic transaction transformed WCC from a corporate subsidiary into a fully independent company with full access to the capital markets.

Officially changes name to The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO).

GEO reestablishes subsidiary, The GEO Group UK Ltd, in order to pursue new business opportunities in England, Scotland and Wales – the second largest private correctional market in the world.

GEO acquires Sarasota-based Correctional Services Corporation (CSC). Acquisition added 15 adult correctional facilities and others under development with a design capacity of approximately 8,000 beds in North America.

GEO’s NYSE ticker symbol was changed from GGI to GEO to further strengthen the company’s corporate identity.

GEO acquires CPT. This merger resulted in the ownership of 13 additional correctional facilities totaling over 8,000 beds.

GEO establishes in-house transportation division, GEO Transport, Inc. to help meet its customers' increasing need for secure transportation services.

GEO acquires Cornell Companies. This merger resulted in a combined company with approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenues and approximately 78,000 beds under management, development and/or ownership.

GEO acquires BI Incorporated, a private provider of innovative compliance technologies, industry-leading monitoring services, and evidence-based supervision and treatment programs for community-based parolees, probationers, and pretrial defendants.

In 2012, GEO’s Riverbend Correctional Facility was selected as the first site to begin development of the “GEO Continuum of Care” program. Riverbend Correctional Facility started providing enhanced evidence-based programming and rehabilitation.

GEO begins operating as a Real Estate Investment Trust having completed all the necessary restructuring steps, including the divestiture of its healthcare facility operations under its former wholly-owned subsidiary, GEO Care, on December 31, 2012.

GEO-led Consortium awarded PPP Contract for the financing, development and operation of 1,300-Bed Ravenhall Prison in Australia. The new Ravenhall Facility will provide unprecedented levels of in-prison and post-release programs aimed at reducing reoffending rates under the “GEO Continuum of Care.”

On, January 26, 2015 GEO announced the acquisition of eight facilities totaling 6,500 beds from LCS Correction Services.

In April 2017, GEO completed the acquisition of Community Education Centers (CEC). CEC owns and/or manages over 12,000 beds nationwide. Following the acquisition, GEO will own and/or manage approximately 100,000 beds worldwide including more than 10,000 community reentry beds, making GEO the 5th largest correctional organization in the world.

The American Correctional Association Correctional Awards Committee selected the “GEO Continuum of Care” program at the Graceville Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility in Florida as the ACA 2018 “Innovation in Corrections” awardee.

In March 2019, GEO’s corporate workforce transitioned to its newly built headquarters. 

In 2021, GEO terminated its REIT status and converted to a taxable C corporation, allowing the company to focus on allocating capital towards debt reduction.

GEO completed a series of comprehensive transactions in August 2022, staggering our debt maturities over a longer period of time and significantly reducing near-term debt.

Four decades ago, our company began a remarkable journey when we were founded as a corporate subsidiary. Through the years, we have expanded our presence in the United States and abroad and have become the world’s leading provider of diversified correctional, detention, and community reentry services.

Sells the Adelanto, California ICE Processing Center Complex to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for $950M and repays $875M in debt.