You may also recognize the term ‘cop’ as a slang term for law enforcement officers. It is no coincidence that a ‘cop’ would use ‘handcops’, as the intention of law enforcement is to place criminals in bondage. It is actually through this meaning of ‘cop’ became slang for police. It is not, in fact, an acronym for ‘Citizen On Patrol’, or a reference to the copper badges or buttons used on older law enforcement uniforms. The full term ‘Copper’ is just to express that this is a person who ‘cops’. Parts of a Modern Pair of Handcuffs It is also technically possible to break free [5] from handcuffs by applying massive amounts of force from one's arms to cause the device to split apart or loosen enough to squeeze one's hands through; however, this takes exceptional strength (especially with handcuffs made of steel). This also puts an immense amount of pressure on the biceps and triceps muscles, and when tried by suspects (even unsuccessfully) can lead to injury, including bruising around the wrists, or tearing the muscles used (including pulling them off their attachments to the bones). [ citation needed] On occasions when a suspect exhibits extremely aggressive behavior, leg irons may be used in addition to handcuffs; sometimes the chain connecting the leg irons to one another is looped around the chain of the handcuffs, and then the leg irons are applied, resulting in the person being " hog-tied". In a few rare cases, hog-tied persons lying on their stomachs have died from positional asphyxia, making the practice highly controversial, and leading to its being severely restricted, or even completely banned, in many localities.

Handcuffs - United Locksmith The History Of Handcuffs - United Locksmith

Family members visiting relatives in hospital have the added distress of seeing their loved ones chained to their hospital bed and prison escorts, even in the days leading up to their death, when it is clear that they pose no risk to themselves or others.

She says that when she stood in her navy blue jumpsuit in front of the judge, she was eight and a half months pregnant. He looked over her charge and a sinking feeling overtook her, Edwards says. She pleaded with him to send her to rehab instead of prison. That way, she thought, she could keep her baby after the birth. Golden handcuffs – an incentive given to an employee by a firm, most or all of which must be repaid to the company if the employee leaves the firm within a specified period of time. Davis bursts into tears as she speaks by telephone from her home in Berkeley, California. “It’s inhuman and it’s not necessary and it’s emotionally and mentally unhealthy,” she says. Varela, Thomas; David Gauthier-Villars (May 18, 2011). "France Urges Restraint From Media, Politicians". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved September 23, 2014.

Prison service must strike a better balance on the use of

Best practice guidance for Custody Management Directions was issued by the Lord Chief Justice in April 2010. The objective of the guidance is to ensure that wherever possible the risk of escape or violence by prisoners is identified in advance of a court appearance and is managed by introducing appropriate arrangements that do not unnecessarily prejudice the prisoner. The jury must be free to decide upon the guilt or innocence of the defendant without the risk of being influenced against him by sight of restraint which in their minds suggests that he is regarded with good cause as being a dangerous criminal. Even at hearings where no jury is present, applications for restraint must be scrutinised and strictly justified. The prison team at Leigh Day has acted for a number of current and former prisoners who were subject to the disproportionate use of handcuffs in the course of being admitted to hospital and receiving medical treatment. Claims such as these have succeeded in obtaining recognition of the inhuman and degrading impact that disproportionate use of handcuffs can have on vulnerable and low-risk prisoners. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Prisons are required to conduct an individual risk assessment prior to any prisoner attending hospital. The purpose of the risk assessment is to determine whether or not the use of handcuffs is appropriate and, if so, the level of restraint required.

As a result of these failures, time and again cases arise where severely frail, disabled and unwell prisoners are handcuffed to their hospital beds and/or escorting prison officers. It is a clear yet unfortunately recurring demonstration of the prison service’s inability to appropriately balance its duty to protect the public whilst also treating prisoners with humanity. Similarly, in France, a law prohibits media from airing images of people in handcuffs, or otherwise restrained, before they have been convicted by a court. [7] [8] Also in Italy the Code of criminal procedure prohibits the publication of images of people deprived of personal liberty while they are handcuffed or subjected to other means of physical coercion. [9] According to the Italian independent authority on data protection, the same prohibition applies when the image of the handcuffs is pixelated. [9] Beyond the distressing impact on the individuals subject to restraint such as Mr Slater, frequently overlooked in these circumstances is the impact that witnessing such treatment can have on those present at the time. Giving judgment after proof, Sheriff Ross noted that the “treatment must reach a minimum level of severity, and this is a high test… treatment which is unwelcome or unpleasant is not enough”. The pursuer offered to prove that he felt “humiliated and degrading” ( sic) as a result of the double cuffing, when sitting in public waiting areas where children stared and parents pointed. Unfortunately the sheriff was unimpressed by his evidence, found that the double cuffing was reasonable and proportionate and held that the threshold test had not been met. There had been no infringement of the pursuer’s article 3 rights. Further, the defenders had, in fact, made an appropriate assessment of the overall risks on each transfer. Discussion Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Fetters and Handcuffs". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol.10 (11thed.). Cambridge University Press. p.296.