Human Rights in Hospitals: An End to Routine Shackling

Abstract

Medical students (NSB, NM, JDW), spearheaded revision of the written policy and clinical practice for shackling incarcerated patients at Boston Medical Center, the largest safety net hospital in New England. Across hospitals in the United States, routine shackling of incarcerated patients with metal handcuffs is widespread, except for pregnant prisoners, regardless of consciousness, immobility, illness severity, or age. The modified policy includes individualized assessment and allows incarcerated patients to be unshackled if they meet defined criteria. The students also formed the Stop Shackling Patients Coalition (SSP Coalition) of clinicians, public health practitioners, human rights advocates, and community members who share the goal of humanizing the inpatient treatment of incarcerated patients.