"up the river," where did this phrase originate?

Answer 1

At one time when a person was to be sent to prison from New York City they were sent up the river (Hudson River).That was where the prisons were.These were State Prisons...not City or County Jails

Answer 2

UP THE RIVER - "was originally an underworld term for a sentence in a reformatory or jail. It probably derives from the fact that New York State's most famous prison, Sing Sing, is 'up the river' from New York City." From "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988).

Answer 3

I have usually heard this phrase in reference to being in trouble with a higher authority and in that instance, the phrase comes from prisons like Alcatraz and Sing Sing that were located on islands in the middle of a river...therefore, if you were in deep trouble, you were "sent up the river". I don't know if this is the context you are referring to..if so, I hope I was of some help.

Answer 4

It comes from the Hudson Valley area just north of NYC. When Mafia guys were sent up the river, it meant they were sent to prison in Sing Sing or one of the other prisons up there. Alternately they were sent north into hiding. Sometimes they drowned a guy in the river by weighting him down with concrete sneakers etc. But the expression generally means to be sent to prison up the Hudson River north of the city.

Answer 5

Sing Sing [NY Prison] is in Upstate NY. The river is the Hudson River.

Answer 6

i didn't know sing sing prison was an actual prison i just saw it on producers