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Scottish prisons are adopting a new approach to restraining inmates, focused on eliminating pain during control procedures. This technique avoids traditional pain-inducing holds, such as bending back prisoners’ wrists, and prioritizes keeping individuals upright rather than forcing them to the ground. Developed to comply with human rights legislation, this change comes a decade after a prisoner’s death following a face-down restraint involving multiple officers.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has reported that this new method has shown promising results in pilot programs conducted at three different facilities, with significant reductions in injuries to both staff and prisoners. For over four decades, the SPS relied on a control and restraint technique introduced to manage frequent violent incidents within jails. Officers typically used “wrist flexion,” applying pain to subdue inmates, often wrestling those who resisted violently down to the floor. In 2023 alone, there were 3,760 recorded restraint incidents across Scottish prisons.
Drawing on modern methods used in social care and psychiatric settings, the new protocol involves a team of three officers who carefully secure an inmate while maintaining a stable posture. Two officers focus on controlling the prisoner’s arms and legs, while the lead officer gently lowers the inmate’s head to their upper chest, creating a tripod-like support. Throughout this process, the lead officer attempts to calmly communicate with the prisoner, completely removing the reliance on pain to gain compliance. During a two-year trial at HMP Polmont, results included a 70% drop in floor restraints and an 87% decrease in pain-inducing holds, with no injuries reported in the latter year.
Dr. Frank Slokan, a key figure in developing the strategy and a researcher on restraint reduction, emphasized the risks associated with floor restraining, particularly on vulnerable or mentally distressed individuals. He remarked, “The use of wrist flexions and pain-inducing holds with individuals who are significantly mentally distressed or have used substances, can escalate situations.” Dr. Slokan also noted international interest in the Scottish model, with various prison systems seeking to learn from this approach.
Iain Ramsay, who oversees operational resilience training for the SPS, highlighted the importance of a calm and understanding stance toward inmates, many of whom have experienced trauma and violence throughout their lives. He explained, “Inflicting pain on that individual has no impact on them whatsoever because it’s been the norm for them throughout their life.” Ramsay believes that this new approach fosters quicker cooperation from prisoners and promotes safer environments for everyone involved.
The transition to this technique carries personal significance for the prison community, notably following the death of Allan Marshall in 2015, who died after being restrained on the floor at HMP Edinburgh. The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) supports the change but stresses the necessity of careful implementation and thorough training for all 3,500 frontline staff members. Phil Fairlie, POA assistant chairman, admitted initial skepticism but has witnessed positive outcomes, stating, “We can take control of these situations, every bit as effectively as we used to do with the old control and restraint training,” and highlighting the benefit of maintaining calm and controlled prison environments even amid overcrowding
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