Restraint Chairs Linked to 20 Deaths in a 6-Year Period

A watchdog group published a story that told of 20 deaths in six years that have occurred in county jails in the US. They verified that it is supposed to be used, in all cases, as a way to control violent, out-of-control persons. But the first thing they discovered is that in some jails restraint chairs are not used as intended.

For instance, they investigated a case in which a man was put in the chair because he made a complaint. Many times, the restraint chair was used as a first response to nonviolent resistance.

Jail operations experts said the chair is used to keep people who are extremely intoxicated or experiencing a mental crisis from harming themselves or others. But when it is used for extended periods, death can occur. Specifically, staying in the chair for too long has resulted in death by blood clots and overdose resulting from being in the same position.

The state of Utah was prompted to ban the use of the chair because of what happened to a 29-year-old man. He was left strapped in the chair for 16 hours, after which he died as a result of a blood clot in his lungs.

Being in the chair has also caused medical staff to overlook health problems. Inmates who are seen as a safety threat may be having a health crisis. For instance, people with low blood sugar, psychotic episodes, and alcohol withdrawal may look dangerous when they are not.

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

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–Guest Contributor