Handcuffs are used by law enforcement officers to prevent a suspect or prisoner from having full use of the hands. Most handcuffs consist of a pair of steel rings connected by a short chain. The rings fit over a person’s wrists and can be adjusted to fit wrists of different sizes. One end of each ring has jagged edges that slip into the other end and lock automatically. Such handcuffs are opened with a key.
Another kind of handcuff is a 22-inch (56-centimeter) strip of inexpensive flexible plastic. One end is slipped through a slit at the other end. A small steel hook near the slit locks the ends together. These handcuffs are removed by cutting them off.
In ancient times, handcuffs were called shackles or manacles. They were used either as a form of punishment or as a method of fastening both the hands and feet of a suspect or prisoner.
