Abstract
AbstractThis article reports on a study of children's experiences of being physically restrained by staff in a range of custodial settings. The research was carried out in collaboration with a team of young researchers, and generated rich and insightful accounts of children's experiences of legitimised violence in the form of ‘restraint’. These lead us to reflect on whether this is a normal and justifiable feature of custody, or as oppressive and unacceptable to the extent that it represents a form of brutalisation, and an unnecessary, unjustifiable and repressive form of control, where the rights of children are routinely transgressed.
Highlights
Young people were interviewed following release from YOI these sessions were conducted solely by the lead researcher according to the terms of the agreement reached with the Youth Offending Team which had acted as gatekeeper. While these young people were not immersed in the everyday experience of imprisonment and the use of physical restraint, they had very real and powerful recollections of scenarios in which it had taken place
All of the children or young people who were in custody or had recently been released believed that the use of restraint was justifiable in certain circumstances
Acts of violence were not considered unusual in light of children's previous experiences, whether within their families, communities or other institutional settings. These findings suggest that the rights framework purportedly offered by legal protections and safeguards within the secure estate is largely illusory; children have come to view their experience of violence in custody as part of the institutional routine
Summary
Citation for published item: Shenton, Felicity and Smith, Roger (2021) 'Behaviour management or institutionalised repression? Children's experiences of physical restraint in custody.', Children society., 35 (1). pp. 159-175. Citation for published item: Shenton, Felicity and Smith, Roger (2021) 'Behaviour management or institutionalised repression? Children's experiences of physical restraint in custody.', Children society., 35 (1). Publisher's copyright statement: c 2020 The Authors. Children Society published by National Children's Bureau and John Wiley Sons Ltd. Children Society published by National Children's Bureau and John Wiley Sons Ltd
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