Supervising, Observing, and Managing an Inmate in a Restraint Chair

If at the time of the change of shift an individual is in the restraint chair, the outgoing and incoming shift supervisors will check the inmate together and make a decision about whether the inmate should be removed from the restraint chair. The decision they come to will be recorded by the incoming shift supervisor on the Corrections Use of Force Report Form No. 409.

If an inmate spends more than 2 hours in the restraint chair, he or she must be examined by medical and behavioral health staff. No more than 2 hours should pass before a supervisor provides an opportunity to stretch and check the range of motion limb by limb. The limbs will be freed one at a time. These stretch breaks must be every 60 minutes until the inmate is removed from the chair. Deputies will record what the inmate does, whether a stretch break or a refusal by the inmate to do them on the corrections Use of Force Report Form No. 409 and Inmate Round Record Form No. 402. If the inmate is actively resisting to the point where it is not possible to stretch and exercise range of motion, documentation should be made and videotaped if possible.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, and Part 9 of this ongoing series.

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