Death In Custody

[bigboab]

A report is out today regarding the death of a 14 year old boy in custody at a Secure Training Centre in County Durham in 2004. Included in the report is a worrying statement;

'Staff had earlier subdued the 14-year-old with a legally-sanctioned special physical blow to his nose'.

The boy later hanged himself in his cell using shoe laces. Why was a violent kid locked up in possession of his shoe laces?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6975761.stm

Since when has a blow to the nose been legally sanctioned? How come we are not aware of this 'law' until someone is dead?
Are there not enough staff to subdue him with normal methods.

I personally have never heard of such 'legality'. How long before it is used on the street by the police? :(

[4play]

why shouldn't they be allowed to hit him back if he is attacking them. generally a whack to the nose hurts enough to shock people into stopping while not causing too much damage.

agreed him having shoe laces was a bad idea but locking him up in a cell without the means to kill himself means locking him up 24 /7 without bedsheets or clothes. i don't know about you but that would probably make me feel even more depressed.

the numerous nhs staff i know that work with mentally disturbed and often violent patients care deeply about their patients but they will often admit some people are beyond help. like an alcoholic or drug addict who refuses to kick the habit but knows it will kill him/her its impossible for anyone else to stop.

The blow to the nose no matter how shocking it seems never killed him the bbc just threw that in there to get more people interested.

I wouldn't worry about the blow to the nose from the police, they carry truncheons.

[bigboab]

why shouldn't they be allowed to hit him back if he is attacking them. generally a whack to the nose hurts enough to shock people into stopping while not causing too much damage.

agreed him having shoe laces was a bad idea but locking him up in a cell without the means to kill himself means locking him up 24 /7 without bedsheets or clothes. i don't know about you but that would probably make me feel even more depressed.

the numerous nhs staff i know that work with mentally disturbed and often violent patients care deeply about their patients but they will often admit some people are beyond help. like an alcoholic or drug addict who refuses to kick the habit but knows it will kill him/her its impossible for anyone else to stop.

The blow to the nose no matter how shocking it seems never killed him the bbc just threw that in there to get more people interested.

I wouldn't worry about the blow to the nose from the police, they carry truncheons.

True, but they are only allowed to hit you on certain parts of the body with their truncheons. The face is not one of those areas. The Clavicle is the recommended area to strike.

[zoe68]

http://society.guardian.co.uk/youthjustice/story/0,11982,1578475,00.html
Looked at this earlier, seems like its been normal practice for a couple of years now.
But I like this snip it from BBC news site
NOSE DISTRACTION TECHNIQUE
Outside of the hand used
Blow to the septum (between nostrils)
No punch with a closed fist

Source: Howard League for Penal Reform
I think they use this teqhnique so we ca't tell if our kids noses are broken!

[bigboab]

Although the system is not meant to inflict pain, three "distraction" techniques intended to deliver a short, sharp pain aimed at the nose, ribs or thumb are allowed if, for example, there is a need to get a teenager to release his or her grip on another person.

There is no need for this. The middle finger under each ear and just lift up. Take my word for it, this will work every time*.:)

* Do not try this at home.:whistling

[Smith]

Police beat up kids all the time around here. Its something I've got used to hearing.