behind bars

Idioms  

1. In prison, as in All murderers should be put behind bars for life. The bars here refer to the iron rods used to confine prisoners. [c. 1900]

---

Example Sentences

He spent more than a year behind bars.

From The Wall Street Journal

The judge explained Bennett would serve at least two-thirds of his 30-year sentence behind bars.

From BBC

"We have a history of brilliant law enforcement cooperation to put the criminal smuggling gangs where they belong – behind bars," he said.

From BBC

Fifteen of its mayors are now behind bars.

From Barron's

For others, it is a catastrophic failure by the Prison Service as he should be spending the full sentence - life with a minimum term of 40 years - behind bars.

From BBC