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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.    )

Filed by the Registrant  ¨                            Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ¨

Check the appropriate box:

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621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700

Boca Raton, Florida 33487

Telephone: (561) 893-0101

March 21, 2014

Dear Shareholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2014 annual meeting of the shareholders of The GEO Group, Inc. We will hold the meeting on Friday, May 2, 2014, at 9:00 A.M. (EDT) at The Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida, 33432. We hope that you will be able to attend.

This year we are furnishing proxy materials to our shareholders primarily on the Internet rather than mailing paper copies of the materials to each shareholder. As a result, most of you will receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials instead of paper copies of this proxy statement and our annual report. The notice contains instructions on how to access the proxy statement and the annual report over the Internet, as well as instructions on how to request a paper copy of our proxy materials. We believe that this process will significantly lower the costs of printing and distributing our proxy materials. On or about March 21, 2014, we mailed to shareholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

Your vote is very important to us. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting in person, your shares should be represented and voted. After reading the enclosed proxy statement, please vote your shares as soon as possible. Shareholders may vote via the Internet, by telephone, or by completing and returning a proxy card. Submitting a vote before the annual meeting will not preclude you from voting in person at the annual meeting should you decide to attend. If you wish to attend the meeting, please refer to page 50 for additional guidelines.

Sincerely,

George C. Zoley

Chairman of the Board,

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

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THE GEO GROUP, INC.

621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700

Boca Raton, Florida 33487

Telephone: (561) 893-0101

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 2, 2014

March 21, 2014

The annual meeting of the shareholders of The GEO Group, Inc. will be held on Friday, May 2, 2014, at 9:00 A.M. (EDT) at The Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida, 33432 for the purpose of considering and acting on the following proposals:

Only shareholders of GEO’s common stock of record at the close of business on March 10, 2014, the record date and time fixed by the board of directors, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting. Additional information regarding the proposals to be acted on at the annual meeting can be found in the accompanying proxy statement.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has adopted a “Notice and Access” rule that allows companies to deliver a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (“Notice of Internet Availability”) to shareholders in lieu of a paper copy of the proxy statement and related materials and the Company’s Annual Report to Shareholders (the “Proxy Materials”). The Notice of Internet Availability provides instructions as to how shareholders can access the Proxy Materials online, contains a listing of matters to be considered at the meeting, and sets forth instructions as to how shares can be voted. Shares must be voted either by telephone, online or by completing and returning a proxy card. Shares cannot be voted by marking, writing on and/or returning the Notice of Internet Availability. Any Notices of Internet Availability that are returned will not be counted as votes. Instructions for requesting a paper copy of the Proxy Materials are set forth on the Notice of Internet Availability.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

John J. Bulfin

Senior Vice President, General Counsel

and Corporate Secretary

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS

FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014.

GEO’s proxy statement and annual report are available online at: www.proxyvote.com

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PROXY STATEMENT

THE GEO GROUP, INC.

621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700

Boca Raton, Florida 33487

Telephone: (561) 893-0101

March 21, 2014

The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO,” “we” or “us”) is furnishing this proxy statement in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our board of directors for use at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held at The Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, May 2, 2014, at 9:00 A.M., Eastern Daylight Time. Please note that the proxy card provides a means to withhold authority to vote for any individual director-nominee. Also note that the format of the proxy card provides an opportunity to specify your choice between approval, disapproval or abstention with respect to the proposals indicated on the proxy card. A proxy card which is properly executed, returned and not revoked will be voted in accordance with the instructions indicated. A proxy voted by telephone or the Internet and not revoked will be voted in accordance with the shareholder’s instructions. If no instructions are given, proxies that are signed and returned or voted by telephone or the Internet will be voted as follows:

“FOR” the election of the nominated directors for the ensuing year;

“FOR” the proposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accountants of GEO for the fiscal year 2014;

“FOR” the advisory approval of the resolution on named executive officer compensation; and

“FOR” the proposal to approve The GEO Group, Inc. 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the 2014 Plan.

Under New York Stock Exchange rules, brokerage firms have authority to vote shares on routine matters for which their customers do not provide voting instructions. The ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accountants for 2014 is considered a routine matter. As a result, if you hold your shares through a broker and do not direct the broker how to vote your shares on this routine matter, your broker may vote the shares on your behalf.

Under New York Stock Exchange rules, the election of directors, the advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation, and the proposal to approve the 2014 Plan are not considered routine matters. As a result, if a brokerage firm does not receive voting instructions from the beneficial owner of shares held by the firm, those shares will not be voted and will be considered broker non-votes with respect to those matters. A broker non-vote will have no effect on the election of directors, the advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation, and the proposal to approve the 2014 Plan.

This proxy statement, the notice of annual meeting, the proxy card and our 2013 annual report will be mailed or made accessible via the Internet on or about March 21, 2014.

The enclosed proxy gives discretionary authority as to any matters not specifically referred to therein. Management is not aware of any other matters to be presented for action by shareholders at the annual meeting. If any such matter or matters properly come before the annual meeting, the designated proxy holders will have discretionary authority to vote thereon.

Holders of GEO common stock at the close of business on March 10, 2014, the record date, will be entitled to one vote for each share of common stock standing in their name on the books of GEO at that date. On March 10, 2014, GEO had 72,295,631 shares of common stock outstanding.

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The presence, in person or by proxy, of at least a majority of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the record date will constitute a quorum for purposes of the annual meeting. The election of directors requires a majority of the votes cast. The appointment of Grant Thornton LLP will be ratified if the number of votes cast in favor of ratification exceeds the number of votes cast against ratification. The advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation will be approved if the number of votes cast in favor of approval exceeds the number of votes cast against approval. The proposal to approve the 2014 Plan will be approved if the number of votes cast in favor of approval exceeds the number of votes cast against approval. Shares of common stock represented by proxies that reflect abstentions or “broker non-votes” (i.e., shares held by a broker or nominee which are represented at the annual meeting, but with respect to which such broker or nominee is not empowered to vote on a particular proposal) will be counted as shares that are present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum for the proposal but will not be counted as “votes cast” with respect to the election of directors, the advisory vote to approve named executive officer compensation, and the proposal to approve the 2014 Plan. If less than the majority of the outstanding shares of common stock are represented at the annual meeting, a majority of the shares so represented may adjourn the annual meeting to another date and time.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the

Shareholder Meeting to be held on Friday, May 2, 2014.

The Proxy Statement and 2013 Annual Report to Shareholders are

available at www.proxyvote.com.

Any person giving a proxy has the power to revoke it any time before it is voted by providing written notice to GEO addressed to the Corporate Secretary, by executing and delivering a later dated proxy, or by attending the meeting and voting the shares in person.

The costs of preparation, assembly and mailing this proxy statement and the accompanying materials will be borne by GEO. GEO will also pay the cost of soliciting your proxy and reimbursing brokerage firms and others for forwarding proxy materials to you. Certain of GEO’s officers, directors and employees may participate in the solicitation of proxies by mail, personal interview, letter, fax and telephone without additional consideration.

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PROPOSAL 1:

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Director Nominees

GEO’s board of directors is comprised of six (6) members. The six (6) nominees are listed below. All of the nominees are presently directors of GEO and were elected by the shareholders at GEO’s 2013 annual meeting.

If instructed, the persons named on the accompanying proxy card will vote for the election of the nominees named below to serve for the ensuing year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. If any nominee for director shall become unavailable (which management has no reason to believe will be the case), it is intended that the shares represented by the enclosed proxy card will be voted for any such replacement or substitute nominee as may be nominated by the board of directors.

The following is a brief biographical statement for each director nominee:

Director Nominees

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The election of each director will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by holders of the shares of common stock present in person or by proxy at the annual meeting.

Recommendation of the Board of Directors

The board of directors unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” each of the six nominees for director.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF GEO

The executive officers of GEO as of March 10, 2014 are as follows:

George C. Zoley — Please refer to the biographical information listed above in the “Director Nominees” section.

Brian R. Evans — Mr. Evans assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer for the Company in August 2009. Mr. Evans was GEO’s Vice President of Finance and Treasurer from May 2007 to August 2009 and Chief Accounting Officer from May 2003 to August 2009. Mr. Evans joined GEO in October 2000 as Corporate Controller. From 1994 until joining GEO, Mr. Evans was with the West Palm Beach office of Arthur Andersen, LLP and from 1990 to 1994, Mr. Evans served in the U.S. Navy as an officer in the Supply Corps. Mr. Evans has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

John M. Hurley — As GEO’s Senior Vice President since 2000 and President of GEO Corrections & Detention since late 2006, Mr. Hurley is responsible for the overall administration and management of GEO’s correctional and detention facilities. In 2010, Mr. Hurley was assigned operational oversight for GEO International Services in addition to his responsibilities for U.S Corrections and Detention management. From 1998 to 2000, Mr. Hurley served as Warden of GEO’s South Bay, Florida correctional facility. Prior to joining GEO in 1998, Mr. Hurley was employed by the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons for 26 years. During his tenure, he served as Warden at three different Bureau facilities. He also served as Director of the Bureau’s Staff Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Mr. Hurley received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in Sociology and a Certificate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, Washington D.C. extension campus.

Jorge A. Dominicis — Mr. Dominicis joined GEO in May 2004 as Senior Vice President of what has become the GEO Community Services division of GEO. In that capacity Mr. Dominicis is responsible for the overall management, administrative, and business development activities associated with the division. GEO Community Services oversees the operations of GEO’s community re-entry centers, including both residential and day reporting, as well as youth service facilities and electronic monitoring and supervision services. Before joining GEO, Mr. Dominicis served for 14 years as Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Florida Crystals Corporation, a sugar company, where he was responsible for governmental and public affairs activities, as well as for the coordination of corporate community outreach. Prior to that, Mr. Dominicis served in public and government policy positions.

John J. Bulfin — As GEO’s General Counsel and Secretary since 2000, Mr. Bulfin has oversight responsibility for all GEO litigation, investigations, professional responsibility and corporate governance. Mr. Bulfin is a member of the Florida Bar and the American Bar Associations. He has been a trial lawyer since 1978 and is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil trial lawyer. Prior to joining GEO in 2000, Mr. Bulfin was a founding partner of the law firm Wiederhold, Moses, Bulfin & Rubin, West Palm Beach, FL. Mr. Bulfin attended the University of Florida, received his bachelor’s degree cum laude from Regis College in Denver, Colorado and his juris doctor from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois.

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David J. Venturella — Mr. Venturella joined GEO in July 2012 as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. In January 2014, he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Business Development. Mr. Venturella is responsible for leading GEO’s business and proposal development efforts. Prior to joining GEO, Mr. Venturella served in various leadership positions, including most recently as the Executive Director for the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from September 2008 to June 2012. In addition to his 22-year career with ICE, Mr. Venturella has worked in the private sector in business development and strategic planning. He served as Director of Business Development for the Global Security and Engineering Services Unit with L-3 Communications in Chantilly, Virginia from September 2007 to May 2008. He worked for USIS, Inc. from May 2004 to September 2007 serving as Vice President of the Homeland Security Business Unit for USIS in Falls Church, Virginia, where he was credited with increasing annual revenues by an average of 15 percent during his tenure, and serving as Director of Business Development for USIS in the company’s Professional Services Division. Mr. Venturella has a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. He has also completed the Harvard/MIT Executive Leadership Course at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Thomas M. Wierdsma — As GEO’s Senior Vice President of Project Development since January 2007, Mr. Wierdsma has oversight responsibility for Corporate Real Estate activities and Entitlement, Design and Construction of GEO’s new and expanded facilities. Prior to joining GEO, Mr. Wierdsma served for 25 years with Colorado-based Hensel Phelps Construction Company in a number of increasingly senior positions, the last being Director of Project Planning and Development. Mr. Wierdsma attended Valparaiso University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Designated Design Build Professional.

Stephen V. Fuller — Mr. Fuller has served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at GEO since 2011 He oversees all human resources functions and employee activities for the Company, which has approximately 18,000 employees worldwide. Mr. Fuller joined GEO in July 2006 as Vice President of Human Resources. Prior to joining GEO, Mr. Fuller served as the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for AmeriPath, Inc. As one of the founding executive officers, Mr. Fuller contributed to this fast-growth company from start-up to annual revenue of $1 billion, with 3,500 employees, physicians and scientists. Mr. Fuller has over 30 years of experience in human resources, a Masters in Business Administration (Dean’s List) from Nova Southeastern University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from Auburn University. He is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Ronald A. Brack — Mr. Brack assumed the role of Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller for the Company in August 2009. Mr. Brack was GEO’s Vice President and Controller from January 2008 to August 2009 and Controller from April 2007 to January 2008. Mr. Brack joined GEO in May 2005 as Assistant Controller. From 2000 until joining GEO, Mr. Brack was with Fort Lauderdale, Florida based NationsRent, Inc. where his most recent position was Assistant Controller. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Brack was with the Fort Lauderdale office of Arthur Andersen, LLP where his most recent position was Senior Auditor in the Audit and Business Advisory Services Group. Prior to this, Mr. Brack spent over ten years in the fleet management business with World Omni Leasing, Inc. and GE Capital Fleet Services. Mr. Brack attended Florida Atlantic University and has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Shayn P. March — Mr. March joined GEO as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer in March 2009. Prior to joining GEO, Mr. March served as a Managing Director for the Corporate Investment Banking group at BNP Paribas, where he worked for eleven years in increasing capacities. From 1995 to 1997, Mr. March was employed at Sanwa Bank in the Corporate Finance Department. From 1988 to 1994, Mr. March was employed at UJB Financial in the Finance and Credit Audit Departments. Mr. March earned his Masters in Business Administration in Financial Management from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Rutgers University.

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table shows the number of shares of GEO’s common stock that were beneficially owned at March 10, 2014 (unless stated otherwise) by (i) each nominee for election as director at the 2014 annual meeting of shareholders, (ii) each named executive officer (as defined below), (iii) all director nominees and executive officers as a group, and (iv) each person or group who was known by GEO to beneficially own more than 5% of GEO’s outstanding common stock.

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ITS COMMITTEES AND OTHER CORPORATE GOVERNANCE INFORMATION

GEO’s board of directors held nine meetings during fiscal year 2013. Each director attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the board of directors and of the meetings held by all board committees on which such director served.

Director Independence

Pursuant to the corporate governance standards applicable to companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the board of directors must be comprised of a majority of directors who qualify as independent directors. In determining independence, each year the board of directors affirmatively determines whether directors have a “material relationship” with GEO. When assessing the “materiality” of a director’s relationship with GEO, the board of directors considers all relevant facts and circumstances, not merely from the director’s standpoint, but also from that of the persons or organizations with which the director has an affiliation. An independent director is free from any relationship with GEO that may impair the director’s ability to make independent judgments. Particular attention is paid to whether the director is independent from management and, with respect to organizations affiliated with a director with which GEO does business, the frequency and regularity of the business conducted, and whether the business is carried out at arm’s length on substantially the same terms to GEO as those prevailing at the time from unrelated third parties for comparable business transactions. Material relationships can include commercial, banking, industrial, consulting, legal, accounting, charitable and familial relationships.

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Applying the NYSE’s independence standards, the board of directors has determined that Clarence E. Anthony, Norman A. Carlson, Anne N. Foreman, Richard H. Glanton and Christopher C. Wheeler qualify as independent under the NYSE’s corporate governance standards, and that the board of directors is therefore comprised of a majority of independent directors. The board of directors’ determination that each of these directors is independent was based on the fact that none of the directors had a material relationship with GEO outside of such person’s position as a director, including a relationship that would disqualify such director from being considered independent under the NYSE’s listing standards.

Committees

Under our corporate governance guidelines, the board of directors has established eight standing committees. The members of the board of directors serving on these committees and the functions of those committees are set forth below.

Audit and Finance Committee

The Audit and Finance Committee met seven times during fiscal year 2013. The Report of the Audit and Finance Committee is included in this proxy statement.

All of the members of the Audit and Finance Committee are independent (as independence is defined under Exchange Act Rule 10A-3, as well as under Section 303A.02 of the NYSE’s listing standards). In addition, the board of directors has determined that Mr. Glanton is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined under Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K of the SEC’s rules.

The Audit and Finance Committee has a written charter adopted by the board of directors. It can be found on our website at http://www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the charter is available in print to any shareholder who requests it by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306. Pursuant to the charter, the main functions and responsibilities of the Audit and Finance Committee include the following:

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Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee met nine times during fiscal year 2013. The Report of the Compensation Committee is included in this proxy statement.

All of the members of the Compensation Committee are independent (as independence is defined under Section 303A.02 of the NYSE’s listing standards).

The Compensation Committee has a written charter adopted by the board of directors. It can be found on our website at http://www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the charter is available in print to any shareholder who requests it by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306. Pursuant to the charter, the main functions and responsibilities of the Compensation Committee include the following:

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For further information on the Compensation Committee’s processes and procedures for consideration and determination of executive compensation, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” elsewhere in this proxy statement.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met five times during fiscal year 2013.

All of the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent (as independence is defined under Section 303A.02 of the NYSE’s listing standards).

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has a written charter adopted by the board of directors. It can be found on our website at http://www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the charter is available in print to any shareholder who requests it by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306. Pursuant to the charter, the main functions and responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee include the following:

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In fulfilling the committee’s duties to identify and recommend candidates for election to our board of directors, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the mix of skills, experience, character, commitment, and diversity—diversity being broadly construed to mean a variety of opinions, perspectives and backgrounds, such as gender, race and ethnicity differences, as well as other differentiating characteristics, all in the context of the requirements of our board of directors at the time of election.

Executive Committee

Periodically during fiscal year 2013 members of the Executive Committee informally discussed various matters relating to GEO’s business. The Executive Committee has full authority to exercise all the powers of the board of directors between meetings of the board of directors, except as reserved by the board of directors. During 2013, the Executive Committee acted three times through resolutions adopted at duly convened meetings or by unanimous written consent. All actions taken by the Executive Committee in 2013 were ratified by the board of directors at their next quarterly meeting.

Corporate Planning Committee

The Corporate Planning Committee periodically reviews with management various corporate strategic initiatives, including potential merger and acquisition activities, business expansion issues and corporate finance matters.

Operations and Oversight Committee

The Operations and Oversight Committee reviews with management various issues relating to our operations that may arise from time to time.

Legal Steering Committee

The Legal Steering Committee reviews with management strategic issues with respect to material litigation and other discrete legal issues.

Independent Committee

The Independent Committee considers matters that may arise from time to time that the board of directors designates for independent director review.

Director Identification and Selection

The processes for director selection and director qualifications are set forth in Section 3 of our Corporate Governance Guidelines. The board of directors, acting on the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, will nominate a slate of director candidates for election at each annual meeting of shareholders and will elect directors to fill vacancies, including vacancies created as a result of any increase in the size of the board, between annual meetings. Nominees for director are selected on the basis of outstanding achievement in their personal careers, broad experience, wisdom, integrity, ability to make independent, analytical inquiries, understanding of the business environment, and willingness to devote adequate time to the duties of the board of directors. The board believes that each director should have a basic understanding of (i) the principal operational and financial objectives and plans and strategies of GEO, (ii) the results of operations and financial condition of GEO and of any significant subsidiaries or business segments, and (iii) the relative standing of GEO and its business segments in relation to its competitors. The board is committed to diversified

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membership and it does not and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion or disability in selecting nominees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may, to the extent it deems appropriate, engage a third party professional search firm to identify and review new director candidates and their credentials.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider proposed nominees whose names are submitted to it by shareholders; however, it does not have a formal process for that consideration. There are no differences between the considerations and qualifications for director nominees that are recommended by shareholders and director nominees recommended by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not adopted a formal process because it believes that the informal consideration process has been adequate to date. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee intends to review periodically whether a more formal policy should be adopted. If a shareholder wishes to suggest a proposed name for committee consideration, the name of that nominee and related personal information should be forwarded to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, in care of the Corporate Secretary, at least six months before the next annual meeting to assure time for meaningful consideration by the committee.

Board Leadership Structure

Our CEO also serves as the Chairman of the board of directors. Richard H. Glanton has served as Lead Independent Director of the Company since January 1, 2011.

Mr. Glanton has been a director of GEO since 1998 and is currently the Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Independent Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Operations and Oversight Committee and the Legal Steering Committee. As the Lead Independent Director, Mr. Glanton has input to the Chairman of the board on preparation of agendas for board and committee meetings. Mr. Glanton chairs board meetings when the Chairman of the board is not in attendance and provides input to the independent directors and ensures that the effectiveness of the board is assessed on a regular basis. The Lead Independent Director reports to the board regarding deliberations of the independent directors and may recommend special meetings of the independent directors as necessary. Because of Mr. Glanton’s long history as a board member and his service as the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and Compensation Committee, the board believes that Mr. Glanton is uniquely qualified to serve as the Lead Independent Director of the Company. In 2012, in connection with our conversion to a REIT, Mr. Glanton was the chairman of a special committee created to review and manage the divestiture of GEO Care, Inc.

As a company that is focused on its core business, we believe the CEO is in the best position to direct the independent directors’ attention on the issues of greatest importance to the Company and its shareholders. Since our CEO knows the Company’s business, is a pioneer in the industry and has over thirty years of experience, we believe that our CEO is the appropriate person to lead the board of directors. Our overall corporate governance policies and practices combined with the strength of our independent directors and our internal controls minimize any potential conflicts that may result from combining the roles of Chairman and CEO.

We believe the current leadership structure of the board of directors supports the risk oversight functions described below by providing independent leadership at the board and committee level through the Lead Independent Director with ultimate oversight by the full board of directors led by our Chairman and CEO. The board of directors periodically reviews and considers whether the current board leadership structure continues to be appropriate for our Company.

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Board Risk Oversight

Our board of directors has overall responsibility for risk oversight with a focus on the most significant risks facing the Company. Throughout the year, the board of directors and the committees to which it has delegated responsibility dedicate a portion of their meetings to review and discuss specific risk topics in greater detail. The board of directors has delegated responsibility for the oversight of specific risks to the following committees:

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

The board of directors has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics applicable to GEO’s directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives, including its consultants. The code strives to deter wrongdoing and promote honest and ethical conduct, the avoidance of conflicts of interest, full, fair, accurate, timely and transparent disclosure, compliance with the applicable government and self-regulatory organization laws, rules and regulations, prompt internal reporting of violations of the code, and accountability for compliance with the code. The code can be found on our website at http://www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the code is available in print to any shareholder who requests it by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306.

Code of Ethics for CEO, Senior Financial Officers and Other Employees

Pursuant to Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the board of directors has also adopted a code of ethics for the CEO, its senior financial officers and all other employees. The text of this code is located in Section 18 of GEO’s code of business conduct and ethics. The code can be found on our website at http:// www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the code is available in print to any shareholder who requests it by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

The board of directors has adopted corporate governance guidelines to promote the effective functioning of the board of directors and its committees, and the continued implementation of good corporate governance practices. The corporate governance guidelines address matters such as the role and structure of the board of directors, the selection, qualifications and continuing education of members of the board of directors, board meetings, non-employee director executive sessions, board self-evaluation, board committees, CEO performance review, succession planning, non-employee director compensation, certain shareholder matters and certain shareholder rights.

The corporate governance guidelines can be found on our website at http://www.geogroup.com by clicking on the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking on the link “Corporate Governance.” In addition, the corporate governance guidelines are available in print to any shareholder who requests them by contacting our Vice President of Corporate Relations at 561-999-7306.

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Annual Board and Committee Self-Assessments and Non-Employee Director Executive Sessions

The board of directors conducts a self-assessment annually, which is reported by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to the board of directors. In addition, the Audit and Finance Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also undergo annual self-assessments of their performance. The non-employee directors of the board of directors meet in executive session at least twice per year and such meetings are presided over by a presiding director who is typically the chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, who is currently Anne Foreman.

Communications with Directors

The board of directors has adopted a process to facilitate written communications by shareholders or other interested parties to the entire board, the independent members of the board as a group or any individual member of the board, including the presiding director for non-employee director executive sessions. Persons wishing to write to the board of directors of GEO, or to a specified director (including the presiding director for non-employee director executive sessions) or committee of the board, should send correspondence to the Corporate Secretary at 621 NW 53rd Street, Suite 700, Boca Raton, Florida, 33487.

The Corporate Secretary will forward to the directors all communications that, in his or her judgment, are appropriate for consideration by the directors. Examples of communications that would not be appropriate for consideration by the directors include commercial solicitations and matters not relevant to the shareholders, to the functioning of the board, or to the affairs of GEO.

Board Member Attendance at Annual Meetings

GEO encourages all of its directors to attend the annual meeting of shareholders. We generally hold a board meeting coincident with our annual meeting to minimize director travel obligations and facilitate their attendance at the annual meeting of shareholders. All of our directors attended the 2013 annual meeting of shareholders.

Adoption of Global Human Rights Policy and Ongoing Dialogue

In November 2012, GEO entered into a dialogue with the U.S. Jesuit Conference which included representatives from the National Jesuit Committee on Investment Responsibility and the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility. The purpose of the dialogue was the adoption of a corporate Human Rights policy. On February 14, 2013, GEO’s Board of Directors adopted a Global Human Rights Policy. Representatives of the Jesuit Conference have toured GEO facilities and are continuing the collaboration with GEO towards full implementation of the policy.

Additional information on GEO’s Global Human Rights Policy can be found at http://geogroup.com/human_rights.

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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Grant Thornton LLP (“Grant Thornton”) served as GEO’s independent registered public accountants in fiscal years 2013 and 2012 A member of Grant Thornton will be present at the annual meeting to make a statement if so desired and will be available to respond to appropriate questions. The following sets forth the aggregate fees billed to GEO by Grant Thornton in fiscal years 2013 and 2012.

The Audit and Finance Committee of the board of directors has implemented procedures to ensure that all audit and permitted non-audit services provided to GEO are pre-approved by the Audit and Finance Committee. All of the audit, audit-related, tax and all other services provided by Grant Thornton to GEO in 2013 and 2012 were approved by the Audit and Finance Committee pursuant to these procedures. All non-audit services provided in 2013 and 2012 were reviewed with the Audit and Finance Committee, which concluded that the provision of such services by Grant Thornton was compatible with the maintenance of that firm’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions.

Audit and Finance Committee Pre-Approvals of Audit, Audit-Related, Tax and Permissible Non-Audit Services

The Audit and Finance Committee periodically approves the provision of various audit, audit-related, tax and other services by Grant Thornton. The Audit and Finance Committee plans to continue to review and pre-approve such services as appropriate. In addition, the Audit and Finance Committee has delegated to its Chairman, Richard H. Glanton, the authority to grant, on behalf of the Audit and Finance Committee, the pre-approvals required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for the provision by Grant Thornton to GEO of auditing and permissible non-audit services; provided, however, that any decision made by Mr. Glanton with respect to any such pre-

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approvals must be presented at the next regularly scheduled full Audit and Finance Committee meeting that is held after such decision is made.

All of the services provided by Grant Thornton to GEO in 2013 and 2012 were approved by the Audit and Finance Committee pursuant to these procedures. The Audit and Finance Committee will continue to review and pre-approve such services as appropriate.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS

Role of the Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee of our board of directors establishes and regularly reviews our compensation philosophy and programs, exercises authority with respect to the determination and payment of base and incentive compensation to executive officers and administers our 2006 stock incentive plan and the 2011 employee stock purchase plan. Our Compensation Committee consists of three members, each of whom is independent as that term is defined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations that have been promulgated under that Act, and in the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange. The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter that was first adopted by our board of directors in February 2004 and has been amended three times since. The charter more fully describes the role, responsibilities and functioning of the Compensation Committee. A current copy of this charter can be viewed on our website at www.geogroup.com by clicking the link “About Us” on our homepage and then clicking the link “Corporate Governance”.

Say-on-Pay Results

At our 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, approximately 80% of the votes cast voted to approve the advisory resolution on our executive compensation referred to as the “say-on-pay” vote. The Compensation Committee believes that the positive outcome of the say-on-pay vote supports the compensation arrangements established by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee considered the results of the shareholder vote on the 2013 “say-on-pay” proposal as one of the many factors relevant in connection with the discharge of its responsibilities along with the advice of its independent compensation consultant and shareholder feedback. Building upon the changes to our compensation programs implemented during 2012 and consideration of the factors discussed above, the Compensation Committee did implement a number of changes to our compensation programs during 2013.

2013 Compensation Committee Actions on Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee evaluates GEO’s executive compensation policies and practices on an ongoing basis. In 2013, the Compensation Committee undertook the following actions regarding our executive compensation:

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The Compensation Committee believes these actions taken in 2013 relating to executive compensation further improve what it believes were already strong executive compensation arrangements and policies for GEO.

Independence of Compensation Consultant

The Committee assessed the independence of Pay Governance LLC, taking into account the following factors:

Pay Governance has attested to its independence and does not provide any services to the company other than those related to executive compensation consulting. Based on its assessment, the Committee agreed that the compensation consultant is independent and that the compensation consultant’s work has not raised any conflict of interest.

Overview of Compensation Structure

Our compensation structure for named executive officers has historically consisted of four basic components — a salary, an annual cash incentive bonus, an annual equity compensation grant and certain other benefits and perquisites, as more fully described below.

When making decisions regarding the compensation of named executive officers, including the Chief Executive Officer, the Compensation Committee considers the data and analyses prepared by Pay Governance, historical pay to the named executive officers and the appropriateness of such compensation, including by comparing it to a peer group of companies periodically. During 2012, the Compensation Committee used peer group data to obtain a general understanding of current compensation practices and therefore ensure that it is acting in an informed and responsible manner to make sure our executive compensation program is competitive. The Compensation Committee viewed peer group data as one factor in assisting its compensation decisions, but did not engage in benchmarking or rely wholly or in part on this information. In 2013, the Compensation Committee did not believe it was necessary or appropriate to perform or have Pay Governance conduct a peer group analysis to evaluate our compensation programs and practices against the competitive market in light of the extensive peer group analysis that was undertaken in 2012. The Compensation Committee also considers the compensation recommendations set forth by the Chief Executive Officer for named executive officers other than himself. Under the Compensation Committee’s charter, the Chief Executive Officer cannot provide the Compensation Committee with a compensation recommendation for himself. When considering compensation matters generally, and the compensation packages of the named executive officers in particular, the Compensation Committee meets in executive session outside the presence of the named executive officers. The Compensation Committee uses its experience and judgment to make final compensation decisions.

During 2013, the Compensation Committee engaged Pay Governance LLC, a nationally recognized executive compensation consultant, to perform an analysis of the implications of making a long-term incentive grant for fiscal year 2013. The Compensation Committee retained Pay Governance directly, supervised all work assignments performed by them, and reviewed and approved all work invoices received from them for payment.

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Pay Governance met directly with the Compensation Committee and reported directly to the Chairman of the Compensation Committee. In conducting its review, Pay Governance was at times required to work with our management in order to obtain compensation information and data to perform its tasks. Other than as described above, Pay Governance was not asked to perform any other services for us. The Compensation Committee paid Pay Governance a total of $62,331 in 2013 related to its work for the Compensation Committee.

Under its charter, the Compensation Committee has the ability to retain any advisors it deems necessary or desirable in order for it to discharge its duties. The Compensation Committee also has sole authority to terminate the retention of any advisor it has retained.

Pay Governance undertook the study of making a long-term incentive grant for fiscal year 2013 through the following three analyses:

In conducting the simulated ISS pay-for-performance review, Pay Governance selected a peer group comprised of the following 16 companies across the “REIT” and “Commercial Services and Supplies” Industries:

Pay Governance ran a simulated ISS pay-for-performance review of the relative degree of alignment (“RDA”), multiple of median (“MOM”), and Pay-Total Shareholder Return alignment (“PTA”). Based on this analysis, Pay Governance concluded that our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation and absolute total shareholder return have been well-aligned over the past five years and as a result our RDA, MOM and PTA scores would likely trigger low concern from ISS.

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Pay Governance reviewed the Compensation Committee’s proposed long-term incentive grants compared to similarly sized companies and concluded that the proposed grant levels were generally within or slightly below the competitive market range for long-term incentive grants.

Pay Governance also presented to the Compensation Committee the most popular performance metrics utilized by REITs for their long-term incentive grants. These metrics included relative total shareholder return, funds from operations and cash flow.

Important Factors Given Particular Consideration by the Compensation Committee in Setting Compensation for the Named Executive Officers

In setting executive compensation for our named executive officers, the Compensation Committee gives particular attention and focus to the following factors over a several year-period:

Applying these factors to our Company during the previous several years in setting CEO and other named executive officer compensation, the Compensation Committee considered the following:

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The factors above are among the most critical we consider in setting our named executive officer compensation.

Compensation Program Objectives and What the Program is Designed to Reward

Our executive compensation program is designed to attract and retain our officers and to motivate them to increase shareholder value on both an annual and a longer term basis primarily by generating increasing levels of revenue and net income. To that end, compensation packages include significant forms of incentive compensation to ensure that an executive officer’s interest is aligned with the interests of our shareholders in generating revenue and net income. Based upon the Compensation Committee’s regular review of the Company’s compensation policies and practices, the Compensation Committee determined that the risks arising from our compensation policies and practices for our employees are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Elements of Compensation

Our compensation program for named executive officers consists of the following components:

Each of these components is reflected in the Summary Compensation Table set forth below and is also discussed in further detail below.

Why Each Element of Compensation is Paid and How the Amount of Each Element is Determined

The following is a brief discussion of each element of our named executive officer compensation. The Compensation Committee pays each of these elements in order to ensure that a desirable overall mix is

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established between base compensation and incentive compensation, cash and non-cash compensation and annual and long-term compensation. The committee also evaluates on a periodic basis the overall competitiveness of our executive compensation packages as compared to packages offered in the marketplace for which we compete for executive talent. Overall, our Compensation Committee believes that our executive compensation packages are currently appropriately balanced and structured to retain and motivate our named executive officers, who we believe constitute the most experienced senior management team in our industry.

Salaries. The cash salaries paid to the named executive officers are incorporated into the terms of existing executive employment agreements with our named executive officers. Any increases in salaries have been made either pursuant to the terms of the employment agreements or at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Zoley, who also serves as our Chairman, receives no additional compensation for his board service, so his annual cash salary reflects the workload, responsibilities and contributions made by Mr. Zoley as our Chief Executive Officer and our Chairman. For 2013, our Compensation Committee determined it was appropriate to increase the cash salaries of our named executive officers by 3% as compared to their 2012 annual cash salaries.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation. Annual cash incentive compensation for each of our named executive officers is governed by our Senior Management Performance Award Plan, which was approved by our shareholders at the Company’s 2010 annual meeting of shareholders. Payments made in accordance with this plan are intended to be tax deductible under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The plan is administered by our Compensation Committee, which has the authority to make all discretionary determinations necessary or appropriate under the plan. The plan is governed by the Compensation Committee and is administered on a day to day basis by the Chief Executive Officer and the Senior Vice President of Human Resources.

Under the plan, each of our named executive officers is eligible to receive annual cash incentive compensation based on our relative achievement of budgeted revenue and net income after tax for the fiscal year. For purposes of the plan, net income after tax means our net income after all federal, state and local taxes. Extraordinary items and changes in accounting principles, as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, may be disregarded in determining our net income after tax. Non-recurring and unusual items not included or planned for in our annual budget may also be excluded from net income after tax in the sole and absolute discretion of the Compensation Committee. In determining the amount of annual incentive cash compensation awarded, our net income after tax is weighted 65% and our revenue is weighted 35% (collectively, the “Target Weighting of Revenue and Net-Income-After-Tax”).

Awards under the plan are made as follows: (i) targets for budgeted revenue and net income after tax are set at the beginning of each fiscal year; (ii) the plan includes for each named executive officer an annual incentive target amount as a percentage of the officer’s salary which forms the basis for computing the officer’s award under the plan; and (iii) at the end of the fiscal year, a multiplier set forth in the plan that is based on our relative achievement of budgeted revenue and net income after tax for the fiscal year is applied to each officer’s annual incentive target amount referenced in (ii) above. The multiplier is the same for all named executive officers.

The following table shows, for each named executive officer, the annual incentive target amount as a percentage of salary that the respective officer is eligible to receive under the plan.

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The following table shows how each named executive officer’s annual incentive cash compensation award is calculated by applying a percentage adjustment methodology, or multiplier, separately to the respective Target Weighting of Revenue and Net-Income-After-Tax results:

In addition to the calculations described above, if the budgeted goals for revenue and net income after tax are exceeded, the annual incentive target amounts for the Chief Financial Officer and the other Senior Vice Presidents may be increased up to an additional 50% upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee. The Chief Executive Officer is not eligible for discretionary adjustments. The Compensation Committee and the Chief Executive Officer consider the contribution of the particular officer during the fiscal year when determining whether to grant the discretionary award.

Under the terms of the plan, no amendment to the plan may alter the performance goals, increase the maximum amount which can be awarded to any participant, change the class of eligible employees or make any other change that would require shareholder approval under the exemption for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, in each case, without the prior approval of our shareholders (to the extent required under the performance-based compensation exception of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code).

2013 Cash Incentive Outcomes

In 2013, the Company exceeded the target of the performance range on the Net Income after Tax metric and performed at 99.5% of target on the Revenue metric.

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Primarily based on these results, the following annual incentive amounts were awarded to the Named Executive Officers for fiscal year 2013 performance:

Equity Compensation. Our Compensation Committee has historically granted awards under our equity compensation plans to our key employees and members of our board of directors to create a more performance-oriented culture and to further align the interests of management and our shareholders.

Our current equity compensation plan is The GEO Group, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”), which was approved by our shareholders at our 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, as amended on August 12, 2010, to increase the number of shares subject to awards under the 2006 Plan which increase was approved by our shareholders at our special meeting of shareholders held on August 12, 2010. As of March 10, 2014, there was a total of 1,083,353 shares of common stock available for future issuance under the 2006 Plan. Prior to the implementation of the 2006 Plan, substantially all of our equity compensation awards had consisted of stock option grants. However, since the adoption of the 2006 Plan, we have issued 2,154,006 shares of restricted stock (excluding cancelled shares) and stock options representing the right to acquire 1,818,600 shares of common stock. In connection with mandatory anti-dilution provisions of our equity incentive plans, as it pertained to the special dividend paid on December 31, 2012, an adjustment was made to all options outstanding on December 31, 2012 to (i) increase the number of shares subject to an option by multiplying the number of shares by 1.156 (the “Adjustment Factor”) and (ii) reduce the exercise price per share of common stock subject to the options by dividing the initial exercise price by the Adjustment Factor. The Adjustment Factor was determined by the percentage increase in our common stock in connection with the stock portion of the Special Dividend. The adjustment affected all GEO employees who had outstanding option grants on December 31, 2012 (313 employees) and resulted in approximately 0.2 million of incremental options awarded. As a result of this adjustment, the total number of shares of common stock subject to awards under the 2006 Plan was adjusted from 4,400,000 shares of common stock to 5,087,385 shares of common stock, and up to 2,166,000 of such total shares may constitute awards other than stock options and stock appreciation rights, including shares of restricted stock.

Our Compensation Committee has historically granted awards under our equity compensation plans either at the time of our annual shareholders’ meeting or following the end of our fiscal year in connection with the completion of our annual compensation cycle; however, we have varied our practice in recent years. We did not grant any equity awards during the 2010 fiscal year. On March 1, 2011, April 15, 2011, March 12, 2012, July 20, 2012 and June 1, 2013, we granted stock options and restricted stock awards to employees, management and non-employee directors. Some of the awards that were granted to senior management are performance-based awards. In the future, we may from time to time grant equity awards throughout the year. Equity compensation awards are priced as of the close of business on the date of grant.

Our Compensation Committee also from time to time grants equity compensation awards, including stock options, in connection with the hiring of new employees. In this case, the new employee may receive a grant of stock options that is priced as of the close of business on the date of hire, and is in a quantity generally consistent with amounts initially granted to similarly situated employees in the past by the Compensation Committee.

The amounts of awards granted under our equity compensation plans are determined by the Compensation Committee after taking into account the following factors: the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer, the availability of awards for issuance companywide, the overall performance of the Company and the individual performances of the grantees.

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Under the 2006 Plan, shares of restricted stock may have performance-based or time-based vesting. If the vesting is performance based, vesting is tied to the achievement of predetermined metrics set by the Compensation Committee and included in the applicable equity grant instrument. If vesting is time based, the shares vest at the rate of 25% per year in each of the four years following the date of grant, subject to vesting acceleration in the case of a change in control as defined in our plan. Restricted stock awards granted to non-employee directors and the performance based restricted stock awards granted to senior management on March 1, 2011 vest in three equal annual increments on each of the three anniversary dates immediately following the date of grant. Beginning in 2012, our restricted stock grants to our executive officers have performance-based vesting. Except for stock option awards to Mr. Zoley prior to 2008, and stock option awards granted to non-employee directors in 2009, which all vested immediately on the date of grant, stock options vest 20% immediately and an additional 20% on each of the four anniversary dates immediately following the grant date.

We believe that equity compensation awards offer significant motivation to our officers and employees and serve to align their interests with those of our shareholders. While the Compensation Committee will continually evaluate the use of equity compensation — both types and amounts — it intends to continue to use such awards as part of the company’s overall compensation program.

2013 Equity Incentive Awards

On June 1, 2013, GEO granted performance-based restricted stock to our named executive officers that vests on June 1, 2016 based on two performance metrics measured from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015 as follows: (i) 75% of the award is determined based on GEO’s relative total shareholder return as compared to the FTSE NAREIT EQUITY REIT INDEX and (ii) 25% of the award is determined based on GEO’s return on capital employed performance against targets using an average of ROCE over 2013, 2014 and 2015. The following lists the number of performance-based shares of restricted stock granted to each named executive officer:

Specifically, the performance targets for the performance-based restricted stock grants are:

The Threshold required for payment under the Return on Capital Employed metric is set at +1% of our weighted average cost of capital over the three-year measurement period to ensure that payments only occur during periods of positive returns.

Additionally, we have adopted a performance “governor” that caps payouts under the Relative TSR metric at 100% of target if GEO’s absolute TSR is negative over the 3-year period.

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Other Benefits and Perquisites. Our executive compensation program includes other benefits and perquisites as more fully reflected on the table set forth below entitled “All Other Compensation.” These benefits and perquisites are reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee with respect to amounts and appropriateness. Currently, the benefits and perquisites which the named executive officers are eligible to receive fall into four general categories: (i) retirement benefits pursuant to our executive retirement agreements in the case of Mr. Zoley and pursuant to our senior officer retirement plan in the case of the other named executive officers; (ii) benefits under certain other deferred compensation plans; (iii) value attributable to life insurance we afford our named executive officers beyond that which is offered to our other employees generally; and (iv) travel and entertainment perquisites, such as an automobile allowance and club dues. During 2013, in connection with an IRS audit, the IRS concluded that certain uses of our corporate jet in prior years was non-business related. This resulted in additional compensation in the aggregate of approximately $62,500 being added to the 2013 W-2s of Messrs. Zoley, Dominicis and Bulfin. After a review of all relevant documentation, the Compensation Committee determined that the use of the corporate jet for attending certain charitable events in 2010 and 2011 was business related and as a result the Compensation Committee authorized the payment of $38,758, $5,756 and $618 to Messrs. Zoley, Dominicis and Bulfin, respectively, to cover the tax liability that resulted from the IRS’ determination.

Executive Retirement Agreement. Mr. Zoley has an executive retirement agreement that requires us to pay him a lump sum amount on the date that his employment with GEO ends. Such amount is determined by his age at the time of retirement with the amount increasing by approximately 4% per year up to age 71. Mr. Zoley’s retirement agreement formerly included a tax gross-up provision for taxes applicable to his lump sum retirement payment. In 2012, Mr. Zoley agreed to amend his retirement agreement to eliminate the tax gross-up provision. In exchange for this amendment, the amount of the lump sum retirement payment which Mr. Zoley was entitled to receive was proportionally increased so that Mr. Zoley would be entitled to receive substantially the same net benefit he would otherwise have received if the tax gross-up had remained in place. Mr. Zoley’s benefits under the executive retirement agreement are fully vested and he will therefore be entitled to receive the amount called for by the agreement whenever his employment with GEO is terminated for any reason, whether by GEO or by him. If Mr. Zoley had retired at December 31, 2013, we would have had to pay him a total of $6.8 million. The amount owed under the retirement agreement to Mr. Zoley would be payable from the general assets of GEO.

Senior Officer Retirement Plan. Messrs. Evans, Hurley, Bulfin and Dominicis participate in our senior officer retirement plan, which is offered to all of our Senior Vice Presidents. The senior officer retirement plan is a defined benefit plan and, subject to certain maximum and minimum provisions, provides for the payment to the officer of a monthly retirement benefit based on a percentage of the officer’s final average annual salary earned during the employee’s last five years of credited service (excluding bonus) times the employee’s years of credited service. A participant will vest in his or her benefits under the senior officer retirement plan upon the completion of ten (10) years of service. The amount of benefit increases for each full year beyond ten (10) years of service except that there are no further increases after twenty-five (25) years of service. The maximum target benefit under the senior officer retirement plan is 45% of final average salary. Reduced benefits are payable for lesser service and early retirement. Benefits under the senior officer retirement plan are offset 100% by social security benefits received by the officer and are computed on the basis of a straight-life annuity. The plan also provides for pre-retirement death and disability benefits. Amounts owing under the plan are payable from the general assets of the Company.

Deferred Compensation Plans. Our named executive officers are currently excluded from participating in our 401(k) plan by virtue of their compensation level. Accordingly, we have established a deferred compensation plan for certain employees, including the named executive officers, which permits them to defer up to 100% of their compensation to provide for their retirement. Under the deferred compensation plan, the Company may make matching contributions on a discretionary basis. Mr. Evans is the only named executive officer who currently participates in the deferred compensation plan.

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Excess Group Life Insurance. We pay rates for the life insurance policies of our named executive officers above the level that is excludable under applicable tax rules. Payments in connection with the resulting excess coverage are treated as imputed income to the officers and are not deductible by the Company.

How Each Compensation Element Fits into the Overall Compensation Objectives and Affects Decisions Regarding Other Elements

In establishing compensation packages for executive officers, numerous factors are considered, including the particular executive’s experience, expertise and performance, the Company’s overall performance and compensation packages available in the marketplace for similar positions. In arriving at amounts for each component of compensation, our Compensation Committee strives to strike an appropriate balance between base compensation and incentive compensation, including equity based compensation and awards under the Senior Management Performance Award Plan. The committee also endeavors to properly allocate between cash and non-cash compensation (subject to the availability of equity compensation awards under our then current equity compensation plans), and between annual and long-term compensation.

When considering the marketplace, particular emphasis is placed upon compensation packages available at a comparable group of peer companies.

As discussed earlier, Pay Governance completed in 2012 a report on behalf of the Compensation Committee to evaluate its executive compensation program in light of the marketplace to make sure the program is competitive. The Compensation Committee intends to continue this practice on a periodic basis in the future.

2014 Compensation Actions

Equity Incentive Awards

On February 20, 2014, GEO approved a grant of performance-based restricted stock to our named executive officers that vests on March 1, 2017 based on two annual performance metrics measured from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 as follows: (i) up to 75% of the shares of restricted stock in each award vest if GEO meets certain total shareholder return performance targets during years 2014, 2015 and 2016; and (ii) up to 25% of the shares of restricted stock in each award can vest if GEO meets certain return on capital employed performance targets in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The following lists the number of performance-based shares granted to each named executive officer:

Amendment to Mr. Dominicis’ Employment Agreement

As previously disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2014, GEO entered into an amendment to its employment agreement with Mr. Dominicis pursuant to which Mr. Dominicis will be transitioning out of the GEO business over the next two months. Pursuant to the Amendment, GEO will pay Mr. Dominicis a total of $28,732.70 for his continued services as Senior Vice President, GEO Community Services, during the transition period. After the conclusion of the two-month transition period, Mr. Dominicis’ employment with GEO will terminate. Following the termination of employment, Mr. Dominicis will remain as a consultant to GEO through March 31, 2016 (the “Consulting Period”), during which time he will be available to GEO for up to 10 hours per month. If Mr. Dominicis serves the full Consulting Period, he will be paid a total of $69,000. Additionally, all of Mr. Dominicis’ unvested stock options, restricted shares and performance-based shares will continue to vest according to their terms as long as Mr. Dominicis continues to serve as a consultant during the Consulting Period.

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Executive and Director Share Ownership Guidelines

The Company maintains stock ownership guidelines for our senior executive officers, including our named executive officers, and our board members. The guidelines require our CEO to maintain equity holdings in GEO equal in value to at least 5x his annual base salary, our other executive officers to maintain equity holdings in GEO equal in value to at least 3x their annual base salaries, and our non-employee directors to maintain equity holdings in GEO equal in value to at least 3x their annual retainers. All officers and directors have five years to comply with these guidelines.

Clawback/Recoupment Policy

The Company maintains a clawback policy providing that any incentive payment awarded by GEO to an executive officer (including a named executive officer) under any GEO incentive compensation plan may be recouped by GEO in the event of material fraud or misconduct by the recipient, among other triggers.

CONCLUSION

We believe that our compensation programs appropriately reward executive performance and closely align the interests of our named executive officers and key employees with the interests of our shareholders, while also enabling the Company to attract, retain, and motivate talented executives. The Compensation Committee will continue to evolve and administer our compensation program in a manner that the Compensation Committee believes will be in the best interests of our shareholders. The Compensation Committee monitors the results of the advisory vote on our executive compensation (referred to as the “say-on-pay” vote) and incorporates such results as one of many factors considered in connection with the discharge of its responsibilities.

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SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table shows compensation earned by each of the named executive officers of GEO during 2013, 2012 and 2011, for services in all capacities while they were employees of GEO, and the capacities in which the services were rendered. For purposes of this proxy statement, GEO’s named executive officers are (i) the Chief Executive Officer of GEO, (ii) the Chief Financial Officer of GEO, and (iii) each of the three most highly compensated executive officers of GEO other than the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer.

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CERTAIN MATERIAL EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AGREEMENTS AND ARRANGEMENTS

The following executive compensation agreements and arrangements are material to an understanding of the amounts paid and/or payable to our named executive officers disclosed in the table above.

Executive Employment Agreements

Effective August 22, 2012, we entered into a Third Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement with Mr. Zoley, which was amended by the First Amendment, dated April 29, 2013, and the Second Amendment, dated May 29, 2013 (collectively, the “Employment Agreement”). The Employment Agreement was in effect during fiscal year 2013. The Employment Agreement has a continuously rolling three-year term.

The Employment Agreement provides that Mr. Zoley is entitled to receive a target annual performance award of up to a maximum of 100% of his annual base salary in accordance with the Senior Management Performance Award Plan.

The Employment Agreement provides that upon the termination of the agreement for any reason other than by GEO for cause (as defined in the Employment Agreement) or by Mr. Zoley without good reason (as defined in the Employment Agreement), he will be entitled to receive a termination payment equal to 2 (two) times his annual base salary plus target bonus for the fiscal year in which his employment is terminated or, if greater, the target bonus for the fiscal year immediately prior to such termination. In addition, the Employment Agreement provides that upon such termination, GEO will transfer all of its interest in any automobile used by the executive pursuant to its employee automobile policy and pay the balance of any outstanding loans or leases on such automobile so that the executive owns the automobile outright. In the event such automobile is leased, the Employment Agreement provides that GEO will pay the residual cost of the lease.

Upon the termination of the Employment Agreement by GEO for cause or by Mr. Zoley without good reason, Mr. Zoley will be entitled to only the amount of compensation that is due through the effective date of the termination, including any performance award that may be due and payable to him under the terms of the Senior Management Performance Award Plan. The Employment Agreement includes a non-competition covenant that runs through the three-year period following the termination of the executive’s employment, and customary confidentiality provisions.

The Employment Agreement reflects an annual base salary for Mr. Zoley of $1,145,000 subject to increases in the sole discretion of the Board, to be determined by the board of directors. Additionally, the Employment Agreement provides that all outstanding unvested stock options and restricted stock granted to Mr. Zoley fully vest immediately upon a “termination without cause” as such term is defined in his employment agreements, as approved by the Compensation Committee. However, any restricted stock that is still subject to performance based vesting at the time of such termination shall only vest when, and to the extent, the Compensation Committee of the board of directors certifies that the performance goals have been met.

Other Senior Officer Employment Agreements

We have senior officer employment agreements with Messrs. Evans, Hurley, Dominicis and Bulfin. The employment agreements have rolling two-year terms which continue until each executive reaches age 67 absent earlier termination.

The amounts of base salaries that were paid to each of these executives during fiscal years 2013, 2012 and 2011 are set forth in the Summary Compensation Table above. The executives are also entitled to receive a target annual incentive bonus in accordance with the terms of our Senior Management Performance Award Plan which is further described below.

The senior officer employment agreements provide that upon the termination of the agreement for any reason other than by GEO for cause (as defined in the employment agreement) or by the voluntary resignation of the

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executive, the executive will be entitled to receive a termination payment equal to the following: (1) two years of the executive’s then current annual base salary; plus (2) either the continuation of the executive’s employee benefits (as defined in the employment agreement) for a period of two years, or in the case of Mr. Hurley, at his election, a cash payment equal to the present value of GEO’s cost of providing such executive benefits for a period of two years; plus (3) the dollar value of the sum of paid vacation time that the executive was entitled to take immediately prior to the termination which was not in fact taken by the executive. In addition, the employment agreements provide that upon such termination of the executive, we will transfer all of our interest in any automobile used by the executive pursuant to our employee automobile policy and pay the balance of any outstanding loans or leases on such automobile so that the executive owns the automobile outright. In the event such automobile is leased, the employment agreements provide that we will pay the residual cost of the lease. Also, upon such termination, all of the executive’s unvested stock options will fully vest immediately.

Upon the termination of the employment agreements by us for cause or by the voluntary resignation of the executive, the executive will be entitled to only the amount of salary, bonus, and employee benefits that is due through the effective date of the termination. Each employment agreement includes a non-competition covenant that runs through the two-year period following the termination of the executive’s employment, and customary confidentiality provisions.

Under the terms of the agreements, annual base salaries for 2013 approved by the Compensation Committee for Messrs. Evans, Hurley, Dominicis and Bulfin were $515,000, $515,000, $345,050 and $448,050, respectively. Additionally, all outstanding unvested stock options and restricted stock granted to each of Messrs. Zoley, Evans, Hurley, Dominicis and Bulfin fully vest immediately upon a “termination without cause” as such term is defined in each of their employment agreements, as approved by the Compensation Committee.

Amendment to Mr. Dominicis’ Employment Agreement

As previously disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2014, GEO entered into an amendment to its employment agreement with Mr. Dominicis pursuant to which Mr. Dominicis will be transitioning out of the GEO business over the next two months. Pursuant to the Amendment, GEO will pay Mr. Dominicis a total of $28,732.70 for his continued services as Senior Vice President, GEO Community Services, during the transition period. After the conclusion of the two-month transition period, Mr. Dominicis’ employment with GEO will terminate. Following the termination of employment, Mr. Dominicis will remain as a consultant to GEO through March 31, 2016 (the “Consulting Period”), during which time he will be available to GEO for up to 10 hours per month. If Mr. Dominicis serves the full Consulting Period, he will be paid a total of $69,000. Additionally, all of Mr. Dominicis’ unvested stock options, restricted shares and performance-based shares will continue to vest according to their terms as long as Mr. Dominicis continues to serve as a consultant during the Consulting Period.

Executive Retirement Agreement

We also have an executive retirement agreement with Mr. Zoley. The retirement agreement provides that upon the later of (i) the date he actually retires from employment with GEO, or (ii) his 55th birthday, GEO will make a lump sum payment to Mr. Zoley. See “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for the amount we would have had to pay Mr. Zoley as of December 31, 2013 pursuant to his executive retirement agreement had he retired at his current age as of that date.

The retirement agreement provides that if the executive should die after his 55th birthday but before he retires from GEO, GEO shall immediately pay to the executive’s beneficiary(ies) or estate the amount GEO would have paid to the executive had he retired immediately prior to his death. The retirement agreement includes non-competition provisions that run for a two-year period after the termination of the executive’s employment. Mr. Zoley has reached the age of 55.

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Senior Officer Retirement Plan

GEO maintains a senior officer retirement plan for all of its Senior Vice Presidents, including Mr. Evans, Mr. Hurley, Mr. Dominicis, and Mr. Bulfin. The senior officer retirement plan is a non-qualified defined benefit plan and, subject to certain maximum and minimum provisions, provides for the payment to the officer of a monthly retirement benefit based on a percentage of the officer’s final average annual salary earned during the employee’s last five years of credited service (excluding bonus) times the employee’s years of credited service. A participant will vest in his or her benefits under the senior officer retirement plan upon the completion of ten (10) years of service, provided such participant remains continuously employed by the Company until at least age fifty five (55). The amount of benefit increases for each full year beyond ten (10) years of service except that there are no further increases after twenty-five (25) years of service. The maximum target benefit under the senior officer retirement plan is 45% of final average annual salary. Reduced benefits are payable for lesser service and early retirement. Benefits under the senior officer retirement plan are offset one hundred percent (100%) by social security benefits received (or estimated social security benefits to be received, if applicable) by the officer and are computed on the basis of a straight-life annuity. The plan also provides for pre-retirement death and disability benefits. Amounts owing under the plan are payable from the general assets of the company.

GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS

The following sets forth information regarding the grants of plan-based awards to the named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2013.

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OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

The following table sets forth certain information regarding equity-based awards held by our named executive officers as of December 31, 2013.