Why do we still use handcuffs when they are absolutely barbaric?

Question

So one of my worst fears happened over the weekend... I got caught shoplifting. It was nothing big, not a big deal at all... But I was forced to wear uncomfortable handcuffs while I waited four hours for my mom to come and pick me up.

I can't believe that in today's society we still resort to such barbaric methods. Handcuffs hurt, leave marks, and make you very uncomfortable. I think it's time that police need to realize that diplomacy is more effective than painful physical restraints.

Just because other countries are "MORE barbaric" it doesn't give us the right to be "SLIGHTLY LESS barbaric"

What you people don't seem to realize is, yes, cops will be more at risk. But the upside is that people will not be as uncomfortable when being arrested. You have to think what is more important, a "possible" risk in some situations or a "definite" discomfort in all situations.

KEEP IN MIND that eventually diplomacy will get more and more effective and there WILL BE NO NEED for handcuffs in the future.

We just have to establish politeness and diplomacy as a workable method.

I think most of the people who disagree with me have never been in my situation before and do not understand the discomfort. Shame on you!

This could happen to YOU some day!

UGH. It is DISGUSTING that most of you can't see my way. Anything that causes physical discomfort should not be used as punishment. Ever. Under any and all circumstances.

Answer 1

I can't believe the answers you have gotten on this subject, I would bet these sickos who are so pure have did a lot worse than you did probable on a daily basis, how many cheat on their taxes? speed and endanger others? lie about their friends or neighbors, or so many other things, these puritan sickos make me sick to my stomach, I bet most will put into the church offering every Sunday a one dollar bill and steal a fiver, I am not condoning your shop lifting , but, I don't think you should have been abused , and I feel that is what happened, and I do hope the authorities catch these Lillie white puritans and give them the same treatment, where the hell is their humanity?

Answer 2

It's a restraint of free movement. What would you like, shackles? How about the stocks? I'm in a country right now that will remove your hand for theft. The reason for putting YOU into the restraints is to change YOUR behavior. A correction. Your WORST fear was "getting caught"? Now you know the price of shoplifting: public humiliation from being hauled into the store security's office, the pain and discomfort of being apprehended and the stigma of having a police record.
YOU have the problem where YOU committed a CRIME and are lashing out at the agency responsible for enforcement, because they did their job. The job YOUR parents should have done (if they were responsible and really loved you) should be to teach you that there is a right and a wrong in this world, and that distinction is not difficult to make and also to teach you the price of doing wrong and disobeying.
I don't know why I'm wasting my time with answering you. The only part of this good society you're going to contribute to is the crime rate. Without correction, the most you'll amount to is a two-bit hooker getting a ten for doing something nasty so you can get a fix. Here's a novel idea: Your parents FAILED!!! Tell them that!!! Go and correct yourself and become a contributing member of this decent society.

Answer 3

Being an ex-prison officer and a man who has been arrested three times, I couldnt disagree with you more. Some people will, if given the chance, attack police officers, or other prisoners, harm themselves or attempt to escape. Rather than risking this happening most police forces will routinely handcuff everybody. And if you dont like discomfort maybe you should have thought of that before stealing from the shop, thieving scum

Answer 4

So stealing is no big deal. Let's ask this question: Did you enjoy the experience? Have a good time? Was mom thrilled to see you in cuffs when she came to pick you up? Did you learn anything, other not to get caught?

The whole idea is to make your time detained as uncomfortable as possible with you causing you any harm. Think that is bad? Try being in a 6 foot by 9 foot cell. You get let out every day for and hour. You go to the bathroom and everyone can see your business. Your cellmate hasn't bathed in a month.

GET THE PICTURE?

Don't break the law, you don't get placed in handcuffs..........

Answer 5

Well, as an alternative, the cops could have beat you unconscious with their nightsticks?

I don't think handcuffs are barbaric or inhumane. Typically, the sort of people who get handcuffed really have no place complaining that they are "uncomfortable."

Waaaaaaah, you're uncomfortable! Well, don't do anything illegal, and your chances of being ever handcuffed again go way, way, way down.

This is like people in jail complaining that they can't watch MTV or something. Sheesh, you're in jail. It's not supposed to fun.

Sorry to not have much empathy here, but the cops don't know when they arrest a person if that person is going to resist or try to flee or go otherwise beserk on them. I think handcuffs are an appropriate way to subdue someone who has been arrested, especially compared to the alternatives.

Answer 6

"No big deal" - really? The fact of the matter is that they are not supposed to be comfortable. Some people are not too receptive to a law enforcement officer asking them: "please sir/madam won't you follow me into the back of my cruiser for transport down to booking?" If a restraint is comfortable, one is more likely to struggle against them. Of course not everyone is likely to struggle so maybe the officer can have one set that is soft and fluffy for compliant detainees, and one that is still soft but maybe not so fluffy for the next step up. After coming up with all of the designs required we will finally have arrived at the version you wore- the one for violent felons,. and our officer will then be tasked with carrying around an additional 50 Lbs of handcuffs. Silly-you bet, the one set will just have to do. Now is my chance to play Captain Obvious- you minimized your actions and focused on the handcuffs, when obviously you should focus on your actions and then you can forget about the handcuffs.

Answer 7

Diplomacy doesn't work when so many criminals carry guns, or when the criminals are physically larger or more powerful than the officers. Handcuffs are the most effective restraints, and most of a century of use show handcuffs work.

And to prevent claims that police are discriminating or profiling, it's easier to have a standard policy that says to handcuff anyone who is arrested.

Besides, if you admit you were breaking the law, you don't really have any grounds to complain that the restraints were uncomfortable. If you don't want to wear handcufss, don't break the law.

Answer 8

The handcuffs are not just to stop a person to do something, but it is part of the punishment for have done something wrong. It is humiliating too, because does not matter the size of what type of crime someone committed, they (criminals)are all treated as the same way. A murder is handcuffed the same way as you were. People from outside won't be able to know how bad you are by the handcuffs and will most judge you to be the worst type, discriminating you because they don't know the reasons why you did what you did.
Someone so "smart" like you, should not do something so stupid like that.

Answer 9

wow, you are such a whiner. Be glad they didn't slam you down onto the police car and spray you with mace. Handcuffs protect both the officer and the public, as well as the person being arrested. If you had been a danger to yourself, the handcuffs would keep you in check. Sounds to me like you're just mad you got caught doing something stupid and want to take it out on the officers.

Answer 10

Maybe you need to realize that you had it coming. You probably weren't singing that tune before you got caught. Consider yourself lucky. Some countries amputate your hands for stealing. Who's barbaric now?!
On top of all that, you gave up your rights to any kind of comforts when you decided to do the crime. Do you really think you deserve to be comfortable after committing the crime that you did? You're a fool if you answer yes to that question.
Your mother committed a crime also. The crime of not bringing you up the way she should have. Imagine how embarrassed she must feel. Perhaps she should've been cuffed also. So called diplomacy isn't going to help you here. Grow up.
You're now a criminal, and no decent, law abiding individual is going to see it your way, because your way, as you have demonstrated, is wrong.

Answer 11

You know, I have tried diplomacy on a very large drunk man who just beat the snot out of his wife and all I got was a punch in the face for my trouble.
How on Earth are you supposed to get someone who doesn't want to be arrested into a police car without handcuffs?

Once they are in the car, how do you stop the out of control, coked out person from repeatedly punching your windows? How do you get them out of the car without getting hit?

You must be very young and naive to think that diplomacy is the solution to restraining people in police work.

Officer safety will always be more important than prisoner comfort.