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Handcuffs
Restraint devices / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the restraint devices. For other uses, see Handcuffs (disambiguation).
"Manacles" redirects here. For the rocks off Cornwall, see The Manacles. For the typographical symbol, see manicule.
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other.[1] They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist. Without a key, handcuffs cannot be removed without specialist knowledge, and a handcuffed person cannot move their wrists more than a few centimetres or inches apart, making many tasks difficult or impossible.
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Handcuffs are frequently used by law enforcement agencies worldwide to prevent suspected criminals from escaping from police custody.