Handcuff marks

[asa]

Hi,
I'd just like to know if it's normal/regular for marks to be left on someone's wrists after having been handcuffed? A 15 year old - who was likely moving his hands around a lot anyway and probably did it to himself - he's had these red lines and now bruising (2 days later). His mom seems to want to call it 'police brutality' - I (stepdad) think there's probably more important issues right now - he hasn't actually ended up with any charges at all, he was just disrespectful about something really simple and ended up being thrown into a car for a free ride - and now mom thinks 'they took it too far'.
Is it something that 'just happens' from time to time (whether he was struggling against them or not) - can you give me some ammunition here? Would you agree that it's something that needs no more attention given to it?
Thanks

[retdetsgt]

Not at all unusual if the person struggles with the handcuffs on. They are metal and unyielding.

[ChesCopPodz]

Most everyone gets at least a red mark from the handcuffs as they let their arm muscles relax, which makes the arms gently try to seperate, which leaves a red mark on the part of the wrist touching the cuff.

Doesn't make a difference how loose they are, the arm muscles want to pull the arms back to the usual position, and when you relax the muscles, they will pull against the cuffs.

Resisters usually put more prnounced marks as they twist and pull against the cuffs.

[Kimble]

I've had those same red marks on my own wrists when handcuffed during training. Not at all comfortable, and sometimes it can cause bruising, but it goes away. If we can get over it when voluntarily cuffed so can someone who has done something to warrant being cuffed for real.

[CPL1897]

It sounds like the Officers handled the situation to your satisfaction, with that said I think as a parent or step parent you would know immediately if excessive force or "brutallity" was used against your child. As for the handcuff marks/bruises I have yet to see ANYONE without some type of redness etc. after being cuffed even if they fully cooperate and the cuufs are "gently" used..As for the bruising, it depends alot on if the person was "wiggling" in them and if the leaned back on them (cuffed in back sitting in patrol car etc.) and I have noticed people with smaller wrists (petite females,children etc.) end up with more marks because the cuffs tend to be "looser"..

As a parent I would use your best judgement, also most departments require AUDIO AND VIDEO of POLICE/SUSPECT interaction expecially when juveniles are involved.

I can only speak from experience (14 years) that we (LE) would never intentionally cause unneccesary harm to a juvenile....

[icu650]

I really think mom should be more concerned about why it happened and what to do to prevent it from happening again. Bruising or extreme redness on the wrists is from the suspects violently attempting to move their hands in positions that the handcuff were designed to prevent you from doing. It would be nice if you got the tape to watch and see how disresprctfull your kid was.

[asa]

Thanks for the responses. I will be sharing this info with my wife. ChesCopPodz - thanks for the science behind it, can't argue with that. It sounds like red marks are absolutely common and the bruising is likely from his own actions.

I really think mom should be more concerned about why it happened and what to do to prevent it from happening again.

Exactly. And the really frustrating part is that my stepson didn't even mention the marks. But then my wife saw them later and freaked out. So then my stepson, instead of being humble and thinking about what HE did, has decided: yeah, maybe the police did abuse me. Which is not the attitude that he needs to take away from it all.

Interesting that you go as far as saying 'violently' moving. They gave us a run-down on it all and at one point said he was 'pulling away'. In addition to verbal attitude it sounds like he wasn't calmly standing or sitting around (and was causing himself marks and bruises it seems) Yes I actually wouldn't mind being able to see the video...

[Legoate]

Cuffs really only fit well one way. If they ride up or twist around they will always leave marks. As someone else said it is actually more common on juveniles or people of smaller stature because they tend to be loose. Putting them on a little tighter is actually better although it seems a bit counterintuitive.

Also the manner in which they are applied makes a big difference- If someone turns around and puts their hands behind their back with the backs of their hands together I can put them on easily without leaving any marks.

If I am struggling with a person and they are wearing long sleeves then it is much more difficult to get them on and much more likely they will get marked up from them.

I had bruises through my entire academy from being handcuffed repeatedly on a daily basis. It is also easy to have a piece of skin pinched in the cuff when it is being applied which also leaves a nice little bruise- Nothing you can do about it really, that's the price of wearing metal handcuffs.

The goal, as many have already pointed out, is to avoid behaviors that would make police officers want to put handcuffs on you in the first place.

[mcsap]

Handcuffatks are better than marks left by cellmates at the County Lockup. Which would your wife rather have ?

We don't commonly handcuffs juveniles unless they act or do.things that make us be concerned for our or others safety. The 15 yr olds of today are not the 15 yr olds of yesterday.

[mcsap]

Handcuffatks are better than marks left by cellmates at the County Lockup. Which would your wife rather have ?

We don't commonly handcuffs juveniles unless they act or do.things that make us be concerned for our or others safety. The 15 yr olds of today are not the 15 yr olds of yesterday.

[kendral77]

As I tell my customers, they are not the fuzzy cuffs that that they are used to, and they are going to leave a mark.