Police Custody Research Articles

Book Review: Children in Police Custody: Adversity and Adversariality Behind Closed Doors by Miranda Bevan

Book Review: <i>Children in Police Custody: Adversity and Adversariality Behind Closed Doors</i> by Miranda Bevan

Healthcare in police custody: a conceptual framework for measuring and improving quality of care

Abstract Background Individuals in police custody are often in poor (mental) health and can be in need of medical attention. The delivery of primary healthcare in police custody differs from other custodial and non-custodial settings, due to its short-term character and the reliance on custody officers and healthcare professionals to access care. Therefore, medical care for detainees in police custody requires its own standards and indicators to measure the quality of care. We aimed to develop a conceptual framework for (actionable) indicators to measure the quality of care for people detained in short-term police custody settings in the Netherlands. Methods We conducted a scoping review and consulted with experts. The scoping review involved Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Criminal Justice Abstracts, PiCarta and Cochrane, and was supplemented with grey literature searches. We consulted twenty-seven stakeholders with a wide variety of expertise in the field of healthcare in police custody to discuss and validate the conceptual framework. Results The conceptual framework consists of 14 domains of structures (e.g. staff and facilities), processes (e.g. triage and coordination of care) and outcomes (e.g. effectiveness and satisfaction) that need to be considered when developing quality indicators for the healthcare provision in police custody. The scoping review yielded 68 publications providing information on common health issues and recommendations related to quality assurance or improvement. Conclusions The conceptual framework will guide the development of (actionable) quality indicators, which will be evaluated on relevance and measurability. These are crucial for monitoring care quality and enhancing a learning health systems approach. This study fills a gap in the existing scientific literature by shedding light on the factors contributing to the quality of primary healthcare provision for people detained in short-term custody settings. Key messages • The conceptual framework guides the development of (actionable) quality indicators for healthcare in police custody. • This study contributes to the creation of a learning health system for healthcare in short-term police custody settings.

Children’s Experiences of Police Custody and the Implications for Trauma-Informed Policing

The development of a trauma-informed Scotland is an ambitious and important agenda, but not without its challenges and limitations. In restrictive settings that rely on the application of power and control as part of their modus operandi, genuinely trauma-informed practice may be difficult to achieve. Drawing on interviews with 11 children, this article maps their experiences of police custody to trauma-informed practice principles. The gap between the espoused policies and the realities of custom and practice outlines the boundaries of trauma-informed practice in justice settings. The article concludes that police custody is antithetical to the concept of trauma-informed practice.

Statistical analysis plan for the SOLUTIONS randomised controlled trial with internal pilot: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in 10–17 year olds presenting at police custody

BackgroundWithin England, children and young people entering police custody are referred to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) teams. These teams liaise with healthcare and other support services aiming to divert children and young people away from the criminal justice system. Although targeted psychological interventions are not typically offered to children and young people by L&D teams, evidence suggests that Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) leads to a reduction in internalising and externalising behaviour problems.MethodsA two-arm individually randomised controlled trial (RCT) with internal pilot and process evaluation will be conducted with approximately 448 children and young people aged 10–17 years presenting at police custody suites who are referred to the L&D team or recruited via online routes if they have previously presented at any police custody suite in England. The primary outcome is the Self-Report Delinquency Measure (SRDM) at 6 months post-randomisation. Analyses will be performed using intention-to-treat.ResultsThe statistical analysis plan (SAP) for the trial is described. The plan details of analyses to be undertaken which will be reported in the primary and any secondary publications. The plan was developed and published prior to locking our database and unblinding to treatment allocation.DiscussionThis RCT will evaluate the effectiveness of SFBT in reducing offending behaviours in CYP presenting at police custody suites including testing of moderating factors and sensitivity of the primary analyses.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN14195235. Registered on June 16, 2023.

An Analysis of Human Rights Violation in Police Custody

This research paper deals with human rights violation in police custody. The concept of human rights violations in police custody is referred to in a variety of ways including police brutality police torture police excesses, custodial violence, and lock-up crimes, the general implication of this concept is that people in police custody are not treated with the dignity and are not given ample rights that citizen in a model democratic state deserve. The practice of limiting an individual’s status, harassing him physically or mentally, or depriving him of his personal liberty or fundamental freedoms in police custody can be treated as human rights violation in police custody.

Challenges to the real-world delivery of brief alcohol interventions in the custody suite: qualitative study.

The aim was to evaluate an innovative pathway in police custody suites that aimed to specifically address alcohol-related health needs through screening and brief interventions by police custody staff. This paper presents a qualitative investigation of challenges involved in implementing the pathway. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 22 staff involved with commissioning and delivering the pathway; thematic analysis of interview data was then undertaken. An overarching theme highlights the challenges and uncertainties of delivering brief alcohol interventions in the custody suite. These include challenges related to the setting, the confidence and competence of the staff, identifying for whom a brief intervention would be of benefit and the nature of the brief intervention. Our findings show that there is a lack of clarity over how alcohol-related offending can be identified in police custody, whose role it is to do that and how to intervene.

Alcohol use, civilian interference, and other possible risk factors for death during restraint

Physical restraint is usually used when trying to control and terminate a violent episode. Many causes are possible behind aggressive, agitated, and violent behavior. Some of these are such factors that can either be detected in forensic autopsies or can be evident from the person's medical records. Various causes for deaths during physical restraint have been suggested.In this study, we wanted to review all incidents in which physical restraint was employed, ending in death of the restrained person, whether the restraint was applied by police officers, security guards, police custody personnel, health care personnel or ordinary civilians. The main aim was to see if this new kind of study design would increase our knowledge in circumstances and causes leading to death in restraint situations.Data was collected retrospectively from all forensic autopsies performed in the Southern Finland area during 2010–2015. We went through 21,036 forensic autopsy cases and found 12 cases (0.06 %) in which a physical restraint was employed before death. Police officers were involved in the physical restraint in 7/12 of the cases: in two of these cases, police alone; in three cases, police and guards; and in two cases, police and health care personnel. Civilians carried out the restraint in 5/12 cases. With civilians responsible for the restraint, the cause of death was more likely considered to be a result of the restraint itself than in cases where police and other authorities were responsible for the restraint. This could be because civilians aren't educated about safe restraint methods, and they might themselves be intoxicated. Alcohol was the most common psychoactive substance found in this study and could be a risk factor for not only aggressive behavior but also death, since alcohol use can provoke cardiac arrhythmias and even sudden death. Based on this study, and previously published studies, we see restraint deaths as a varying spectrum of deaths, in which the death is often possibly a result of many factors, including the effects of agitation and restraint, intoxication, and cardiac and other illnesses.

Exploring Evidence-Based Analysis of The Plight of Awaiting Trial Inmates in North-Central Nigeria

Inmates awaiting trial are individuals who have not yet received a legal conviction for any crime, yet they remain in police or correctional custody. This study assessed the increasing number of awaiting trial inmates across correctional facilities in North Central Nigeria with evidence from Kwara State. The study obtained primary data through semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews (KII), and focused group discussions (FGD). The panel data from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) and other secondary sources to complemented the information. Structural functionalism was the theoretical framework for the study. The population for the study consists of inmates awaiting trial, top officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), senior police officers with prosecutorial experience, and lawyers and magistrates with cognate experience in litigation. The study revealed that the increase in awaiting trial inmates is largely responsible for recorded jailbreaks in the region. It also revealed that prison congestion and the overstretch of physical infrastructure available for convicted inmates results from legal technicalities that make it difficult for bail conditions to be easily met and the nature of crimes committed. The study recommended constitutional reviews to make the surety system less burdensome. This will go a long way toward easing and speeding up the justice delivery system. Budgetary allocations to the statutory bodies in the justice delivery system should be increased to increase the holding capacity of the correctional facilities, the courts and modern court infrastructure, and police stations. Keywords: Inmates, Awaiting Trial, Correctional Service, Convict, Structural Functionalism

Assessment on the Conditions of Persons Under Custodial Facility (PUPC) during Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to assess the conditions of persons under custodial facility in Laguna Police Station during Covid-19 pandemic in Laguna Province. This study employed the use of descriptive comparative utilizing survey methodology. Research locale was limited a Police Custodial Facility in Laguna Province. The respondents were the 10 police officers and 10 persons in custody facility and were selected using purposive sampling technique. The research instrument in this study was a survey questionnaire adopted from the guidelines and procedures in the management and supervision of all PNP custodial facility and persons under PNP custody. Data were analyzed using mean, and One Way Analysis of Variance. The study found that the custody facility in the Philippines has maintained good conditions, with both police officers and persons in custody rating the implementation as moderate. The facility effectively implemented protocols to protect its personnel and those under its control, preventing the transmission of the virus. However, there is a significant disparity in evaluations, indicating structural flaws in the criminal justice system. To address these issues, a comprehensive strategy focusing on openness, responsibility, and the perspectives of those directly affected by correctional circumstances is needed. Cooperation among various actors, including communities, government authorities, civil society groups, and law enforcement agencies, is crucial. Independent oversight measures and accountability from human rights commissions and civil society groups can ensure compliance with human rights norms.

Disposition Outcomes Following Prehospital Use of Naloxone in a Large Metropolitan City in the United States

Objectives During a drug overdose, research suggests individuals may not call 9-1-1 out of fear of criminal justice concerns. Of those that call, research is inconclusive about the disposition of the emergency transport. We evaluated transport outcomes for adults with opioid-related overdose in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of a large metropolitan city in the United States. Methods We reviewed the EMS incident report database from the patient care record system for years 2018 to 2022. We queried all records, searching for relevant terms, and two reviewers cross-checked the database to identify cases that did not result in death at the scene. Study outcome was defined as hospital transportation or no transportation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for hospital transport with patient age, sex, race and ethnicity as the independent variables. Results We identified 5,482 cases of nonfatal opioid-related overdose. Of these, 4,984 (90.9%) were transported to the hospital; 37 (0.7%) were placed in police custody; 304 (5.5%) were not transferred; and 157 (2.9%) had unknown outcomes. Among 5,288 with data on the transport outcome, the majority were male (65%), and the highest proportion were White (39%). Compared to those who were not transported, each 1-year increase in age was related to a 2% increase in the odds of transportation (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02). Compared to White patients, Black and Hispanic patients were 43% OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.07-1.90) and 44% (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.00) more likely to be transported. Conclusions Individuals with suspected opioid-related overdose who call 9-1-1 are most often transported to the hospital. Current EMS procedures are successful at on-scene treatment and transportation; however, data on the long-term impact of opioid-related overdoses are still needed.

“Excited delirium”: can the world lose this controversial term, which is accused of covering up deaths in police custody?

“Excited delirium”: can the world lose this controversial term, which is accused of covering up deaths in police custody?

Police custody: preventive or coercive police measure

Police custody: preventive or coercive police measure

A Man for All Seasons: Mosaddeq's Image and Legacy in Contemporary Iran

The unwavering commitment of the people to the leadership of the Islamic Revolution, coupled with the willingness of political elites to demonstrate selflessness and sacrifice, can effectively thwart any potential colonial ambitions that might once again threaten the nation. The historical backdrop of the 28 Mordad coup (August 19) serves as a valuable lesson for the years to come in our country. Much like how colonialists were defeated during the uprisings of the 30 Tir (July 21), the 25 Mordad (16 August), and the events of the autumn of 2022, this legacy of resistance and resilience can endure into the future.If seventy years ago, foreigners orchestrated the tragic coup on the 28 Mordad 1332 (August 19, 1953) against the Iranian people, today, the rulers of Iran have instigated a new coup against the happiness and rightful demands of the people. . . . Do the rulers not learn from the consequences of the 28 Mordad coup, which resulted in the 1979 Revolution? The seventieth anniversary of the 1953 coup d’état that toppled the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq prompted a moment of reflection in Iran, shedding light on a pivotal chapter in the country's modern history. The two quotations presented above, each in its distinctive way, invoke the profound and enduring consequences of those tumultuous years while drawing pertinent connections to contemporary circumstances. They establish a link between the fateful events leading to the coup and the 2022 surge of civil unrest and waves of protests under the slogan Women, Life, Freedom (Zan, Zendegi, Azadi), sparked by the tragic death of Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody that September after she was arrested for violating the Islamic Republic's dress code. Each quotation reflects a continuity of collective memory and the use of historical narratives to shape current perspectives.

‘When he comes into police custody, he has certain rights’: The burden for achieving access in a video-mediated interpreted custody interview

This United Kingdom (UK)-based interdisciplinary proof-of-concept study explores the use of video remote interpreting (VRI) platforms to facilitate communication for deaf individuals using signed languages during their entry into Police Scotland's custody. The study employs three custody VRI simulations to assess the efficacy and limitations of VRI in this context. A unique framework is applied to scrutinise the management of equal access to routine police procedures, revealing disparities in the distribution of responsibility and highlighting the constrained capacity of interpreters. The research emphasises the need for law enforcement to move beyond mere interpreter provision – whether on-site or remote – and advocates for a holistic consideration of the overall experience of deaf people during police interactions. Furthermore, it underscores the imperative for interpreters to cultivate versatile skills, enabling them to address procedural and communication challenges, particularly when the welfare and safety of citizens are at stake. This investigation prompts a comprehensive re-evaluation of the support systems in place for deaf individuals in police custody, urging a shift towards a more inclusive and nuanced approach.

Supporting equitable care of patients transferred from police watch-houses to the emergency department: A qualitative study of the perspectives of emergency doctors.

People detained in short-term police custody often have complex health conditions that may necessitate emergency care, yet little is known about their management in EDs. The present study aimed to understand ED doctors' experiences and perceptions regarding the appropriateness and management of detainee transfers from police watch-houses to the EDs. A qualitative descriptive study, using semi-structured interviews undertaken with ED doctors working in five purposively sampled EDs across Queensland, Australia. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Fifteen ED specialists and trainees participated. Participants reported that their overarching approach was to provide equitable care for watch-house detainees, as they would for any patient. This equitable approach needed to be responsive to complicating factors common to this population, including presence of police guards; restraints; complexity (physical/mental/social) of presentation; reliance on police to transport; ED doctors' often limited understanding of the watch-house environment; justice processes and uncertain legal disposition; communication with the watch-house; and detainees misreporting symptoms. Thresholds for assessment and treatment of detainees were contextualised to the needs of the patient, ED environment, and imperatives of other relevant agencies (e.g. police). Participants often relied on existing strategies to deliver quality care despite challenges, but also identified a need for additional strategies, including education for ED staff; improved communication with watch-houses; standardised paperwork; extended models of watch-house healthcare; and integrated medical records. Providing equitable healthcare to patients transported from watch-houses to the EDs is challenging but essential. Numerous opportunities exist to enhance the delivery of optimal care for this underserved population.

Association Between Maladaptive Eating Behaviors Among Black Women and Vicarious Racial Discrimination Following a High-Profile Event.

Evidence suggests that racial discrimination causes stress among non-Hispanic Black women, and some Black women may cope with exposure to vicarious racial discrimination by engaging in maladaptive eating behaviors. We examined eating behaviors among Black women (N = 254) before and after Freddie Gray's death while in police custody. Maladaptive eating behaviors were assessed using the three-factor eating questionnaire. Our independent variables included the following: (1) time period and (2) geographic proximity to the event. Three two-way analysis of covariance tests were conducted to assess potential effects of geographic proximity (close, distant), time period in relation to unrest (before, after unrest), and their interaction on emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and cognitive restraint controlling for participant age. There was a statistically significant main effect of proximity to the unrest on emotional eating, F (1, 252) = 5.64, p = .018, and partial η2 = .022 such that women living in close geographic proximity to the unrest reported higher mean levels of emotional eating as compared to those living more distant to the unrest. There was also a borderline statistically significant interaction between geographic proximity and time period on cognitive restraint, F (1, 252) = 3.89, p = .050, and partial η2 = .015. Our study found a relationship between vicarious racial discrimination and maladaptive eating behaviors among Black women. Future work should examine stress related to vicarious racial discrimination and maladaptive eating behaviors longitudinally.

Risks Associated with Prescribing Zolpidem: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine, which acts as a sedative- hypnotic that binds to GABA (A) receptors at the same location as benzodiazepines and increases GABA effects in the central nervous system (Kovacic et al. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity 2009, 2(1), 52–57). Literature shows that behavioral changes including amnesia, hallucinations, and other neurocognitive effects are some of the known side effects (Edinoff et al. Health psychology research 2021, 9(1), 24927). We present a case about Ms. A, a female in her sixties with a history of major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms who was brought into the hospital by the EMS under police custody after stabbing her granddaughter with a knife. During the evaluation she was dissociating with impaired memory of the circumstances of her presentation. Collateral information about Ms. A revealed that she had no history of being violent, or any history of psychoactive substance use. Ms. A’s home psychiatric medications consisted of Sertraline 100mg, Bupropion 150 mg, Zolpidem 5mg.ObjectivesTo better understand the potential risks with prescribing zolpidem in patient with insomnia.MethodsIn depth literature review about zolpidem. In addition, observation of Ms. A in the emergency with a full medical workup including but not limited to urine drug screen, brain imaging, lumbar puncture, etc.Results Ms.A medical workup was positive for a urinalysis revealing asymptomatic bacteriuria and she was treated empirically with cefdinir. Her medication regimen consisted of Bupropion 150 mg and Sertraline 100m, both daily. Zolpidem was discontinued and changed to Clonazepam 0.5mg for insomnia. She was also started on Olanzapine 5mg in the AM and 10mg in the PM. Her mental status was noted to have improved after discontinuation of Zolpidem. Patient received one dose in the hospital but after two days since discontinuation her mental status improved. Upon literature review previous reports have been published citing cases of patients on Zolpidem physically acting out while sleeping in a parasomnia-like behavior, with no recollection of memories upon awakening. (Inagaki et al. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry 2010, 12(6)). There are case reports of Zolpidem associated homicide (Paradis et al.The primary care companion for CNS disorders 2012, 14(4).Conclusions One limitation of our study is the patient was noted to have a sudden change in behavior with altered mental status which may be attributed to an underlying asymptomatic bacteriuria. It should be noted that this may have been an incidental finding. This does not exclude the possibility of Zolpidem as the primary cause of the change of her altered mental status or further exacerbating the change in her mental status. Though Zolpidem can be therapeutic and safe, we as clinicians have to be aware of the potential side effects of Zolpidem when prescribing medications.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Police custody in rural Scotland: negotiating boundaries, risk and organisational change

PurposeThis paper explores the challenging nexus of police custody, risk and intra-organisational boundaries in the context of a recently reformed national police service. Police custody is an often-hidden aspect of policing, away from the public gaze and scrutiny. Although there is increasing recognition of the importance of rural policing (e.g. Harkness (2020); Mawby and Yarwood (2011); Ruddell and Jones (2020); Yarwood and Wooff (2016)), there has been little or no focus on rural police custody. This paper seeks to begin to redress this by focussing on the challenges faced by rural police custody in the context of large-scale organisational change.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on data from a study funded by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (2016–2018), entitled “Measuring Risk and Efficiency in Police Custody in Scotland”. The paper adopts a qualitative methodology to develop an understanding of the varying nature of police custody across Scotland. Two contrasting case study locations were selected, one urban and one rural. 12 semi-structured interviews and 15 hours of observation were carried out. Data was transcribed, coded and analysed and thematic analysis enabled themes to be developed. This paper draws on the data from the rural custody suite.FindingsDrawing on the theoretical framework of Giacomantonio (2014) and more recent considerations of abstract policing Terpstra et al. (2019), this paper offers insights into the ways that police custody in rural Scotland has been organised, against the backdrop of challenging organisational change. I argue that as policing services in Scotland have become increasingly “abstract” from communities, police custody as a national division has witnessed the impact of this more greatly than other parts of local policing. Intra-organisational management around staffing has led to complex management of risk, illustrating some of the challenges of national organisational change on police custody.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on the impact of large scale organisational change on rural police custody and intra-organisational relationships and dynamics. Rural policing is still a largely neglected area of study and rural police custody is even less understood. This paper therefore provides an original contribution by focusing on this under-researched area of policing. It also illustrates complexity around risk, staffing and management of people being held in rural police custody suites. It is therefore of value to policing scholars in other contexts, as well as rural criminology more generally. It has applicability to international contexts where macro level policing reform is occurring.

Solutions Trial: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in 10–17-year-olds presenting at police custody: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundWithin England, children and young people (CYP) who come into police custody are referred to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) teams. L&D teams have responsibility for liaising with healthcare and other support services while working to divert CYP away from the criminal justice system but have traditionally not provided targeted psychological interventions to CYP. Considering evidence that Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) leads to a reduction in internalising and externalising behaviour problems in CYP, the aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to determine whether there is a difference between services as usual (SAU) plus SFBT offered by trained therapists working within a L&D team, and SAU alone, in reducing offending behaviours in 10–17-year-olds presenting at police custody.MethodsDesign: two-arm individually RCT with internal pilot and process evaluation.Participants: N = approximately 448 CYP aged 10–17 years presenting at one of three police custody suites in the area served by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) who are referred to the L&D team. Participants will be recruited and allocated to intervention:control on a 1:1 basis. Interviews will be performed with 30–40 CYP in the intervention arm, 15 CYP in the control arm, up to 20 parents/guardians across both arms, up to 15 practitioners, and up to 10 site staff responsible for screening CYP for the trial.Intervention and control: Those allocated to the intervention will be offered SAU plus SFBT, and control participants will receive SAU only.Primary outcome: CYP frequency of offending behaviours assessed through the Self-Report Delinquency Measure (SRDM) at 12 months post-randomisation.Secondary outcomes: criminal offence data (national police database); emotional and behavioural difficulties (self-report and parent/guardian reported); gang affiliation (self-report).Process evaluation: evaluation of acceptability and experiences of the CYP, parents/guardians, site staff and practitioners; fidelity of SFBT delivery.DiscussionThis two-arm individually RCT will evaluate the effectiveness of SFBT in reducing offending behaviours in CYP presenting at police custody suites within the area served by LSCFT. Our process evaluation will assess the fidelity of delivery of SFBT, the factors affecting implementation, the acceptability of SFBT in CYP aged 10–17 years and recruitment and reach. We will also examine systems and structures for future delivery, therefore assessing overall scalability.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ISRCTN14195235. Registered on June 16, 2023.

ACTION OF CHINESE COURTS WITH THE ANTI-TORTURE LEGAL OBLIGATION UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE: A SOCIO-LEGAL NARRATIVE CRITIQUE ANALYSIS OF APPLICATION OF LAW AND LEGAL REASONING

Background: The most of critique is based mainly on the previous literature, namely, that Chinese dynamic institutional structures’ silence may have exacerbated the miscarriage of justice and obtain illegal evidence in criminal proceedings in China. However, the fact that torture to extract confessions and maltreatment of prisoner’s cases involve judicial decision-making by Chinese hierarchical courts has been disregarded. Objective: Taking China's outward telling and internal judicial reforms as starting positions, the article focuses on address the knowledge gap that torture to extract confessions and maltreatment of prisoner’s cases involving the application of law and legal reasoning regarding how Chinese domestic courts' actions is related to the interpretation of torture and domestic compliance with international conventions. The causes of action include torture to extract confessions, maltreatment of prisoners in criminal scenarios, and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment involving detention in police custody (garde a vue) and outside custodial settings. The article also examines how Chinese hierarchical courts have implemented their judicial practice in accordance with international obligations to prohibit and prevent torture under United Nations Convention against Torture. Methods: Process tracing is a qualitative research method that examines causal processes connecting results to potential causes form socio-legal perspectives, focusing on varying time stages. It is essential for within-case analysis based on qualitative data. Implication: This article highlights the intricate relationship between the definition of torture in law in context in UNCAT and treaty compliance by China domestic court, addressing flaws in previous court decisions and responding to those points of view to gain a more in-depth understanding of the dynamics underlying cases of confessions extracted under torture, ill-treatment in prisons and outside custodial settings (garde a vue) in China's criminal judicial system.