Handcuffs are a restraining device consisting of a pair of strong, connected hoops that can be tightened and locked about the wrists. Although their intended use as a tool of law enforcement is their most popular use, handcuffs have been used in imaginative ways as well. The great Houdini and his imitators entertained thousands of people by escaping from handcuffs and other restraints.
To ensure that the metallic handcuffs used by law enforcement and corrections agencies are safe and reliable, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), through its Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), developed a national voluntary minimum performance standard for Metallic Handcuffs (NIJ Standard-0307.01). This standard specifies requirements for user information, markings, workmanship, weight, dimensions, mechanical strength, salt spray corrosion resistance, and cheek-plate tamper resistance.
