NCJ Number
150120
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 19 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1994) Pages: 1-2,23
Date Published
1994
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Two categories of nonlethal force for dealing with violent and potentially violent situations in the correctional setting are described, electric stun guns and spray devices.
Abstract
The stun gun is a handheld, battery-powered weapon designed to produce an audible and visible deterrent display of sparks when operated in the open air. When pressed against the human body and activated, the stun gun administers a shock sufficient to cause temporary incapacitation. Tennessee officials report the use of stun guns and shields to bring violent inmates under control and to prevent the use of physical force. In the State of Washington, officials indicate that correctional employees are trained to use stun guns for situations requiring an intermediate level of force. Other States reporting the use of stun guns include Florida, Kansas, South Carolina, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, and Connecticut. The Federal Bureau of Prisons also uses stun guns primarily because they are nonlethal. Oleoresin capsicum (OC) or pepper spray is gaining acceptance and popularity among law enforcement officers and police agencies as another nonlethal force alternative. Contact with OC particles in a sprayed mist incapacitates subjects by inducing an almost immediate burning sensation of the skin and causing the eyes to burn, tear, and swell. Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Ohio, South Dakota, and Tennessee report the use of pepper spray to control violent inmates. Both stun guns and pepper spray will continue to be used by correctional and law enforcement agencies, but certain dangers associated with the use of these nonlethal alternatives must be recognized. 9 footnotes