Means of restraint in residential care when there is no acute danger. Time for the European committee on the prevention of torture to set the standard

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Abstract

This contribution analyses the approach of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) to means of restraint in residential psychiatric and disability care. Generally, the CPT states that means of restraint can only be applied in cases of acute danger, and if all alternatives have failed. Detailed and strict conditions apply, including for the duration (usually minutes rather than hours). However, an analysis of the CPT's country reports shows that sometimes longer-term use is implicitly accepted, first to preventively maintain order and safety in a care facility and second, to protectively safeguard the interests of the patient. Based on country reports and general human rights principles, this contribution tries to provide the clearest possible picture of the conditions for applying means of restraint and the required legal guarantees in these cases. Nevertheless, many loose ends remain. To safeguard the rights of patients, it is desirable that the CPT is more explicit concerning means of restraint when there is no acute danger.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101807
Pages (from-to)1-8
Number of pages8
JournalInternational Journal of Law and Psychiatry
Volume83
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This contribution is partly based on research funded by Flemish Government (Steunpunt Welzijn Volksgezondheid en Gezin , projects 3H190409 and 3M200005 ; www.steunpuntwvg.be ).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Copyright:
Copyright 2022 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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