manufacturer Force Products supplies the Anti’Scape Stun Belt14 to the DCS. The company won a 2009 government tender to supply the devices.15 The DCS confirmed to the Omega Research Foundation that only one type of stun belt is used by the department. weapons cause the targeted person to collapse and become incapacitated by overriding the body’s neuromuscular system. However, these devices can also have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the recipient beyond the initial shock period, and in some cases they can lead to death. The outcome of using electric shock devices depends on a Other electric shock devices The 2004 Correctional Services Regulations, as amended, also state that electronically activated, ‘non-lethal’ incapacitating devices may be used by trained correctional officials.16 The only devices currently authorised for use in prisons are stun shields and ‘hand-held electronic immobilizing stun devices’.17 In response to an information request submitted by Omega Research Foundation, the DCS stated that although the latter devices are approved for use, none are currently in use by the department. The DCS Order-B regulations on safety and security state that stun shields are ‘mainly utilised by Emergency Support Teams during situations of unrest inside or outside prisons’. number of factors, including where on the body the shock is administered; the target’s sex, body mass and medical history; medication use and level of intoxication by alcohol or drugs.20 The two main categories of electric shock devices authorised for use in South African correctional centres and their harmful effects are listed in Table 1. These devices can also have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the recipient The use of electric shock devices on individuals with Legal documents obtained from the Eastern Cape High Court of South Africa, Port Elizabeth, note that electric shock shields ‘have been supplied by Force Products to the Department of Correctional Services since approximately 1994’.18 Force Products has fulfilled DCS tenders for stun shields of varying sizes, most recently in 2013.19 At present, the company is the only supplier of stun shields to the DCS. underlying health problems is a particular cause for concern. Physical and mental effects Africa where body-worn electric shock devices are widely Generally, electric shock equipment causes severe pain for the duration of the applied shock, leading to temporary incapacitation. In addition, wired projectile electric shock used on prisoners, one inmate whose stun belt was activated Activating stun belts on recipients with, for example, congenital heart defects or epilepsy, or on individuals using psychotropic medication could increase the risk of heart attacks or ventricular fibrillation.21 The level of pain inflicted and the psychological effects of wearing the belt are also concerning. In the US, the only other country besides South described the pain as ‘so intense that I thought that I was actually dying’;22 another described it as ‘excruciatingly Table 1: Harmful effects associated with electric shock equipment Technology type Features Reported possible effects Body-worn electric shock equipment (e.g. stun belts) • Placed around the subject’s body; delivers an electric shock by remote control. • Commonly marketed as a tool to prevent escape or injury to others during prisoner transfers, work details, or trials. • Incapacitation for up to 15 minutes • Muscular weakness for 30–45 minutes • Immediate and uncontrolled urination or defecation • Welts on the skin that can require up to six months to heal • Heartbeat irregularities and greater risk of cardiac arrhythmia • Seizures • Mental anguish (e.g. anxiety and fear) • Risk of secondary injuries caused by falls Direct contact electric shock equipment (e.g. stun shields, stun batons and stun guns) • Delivers an electric shock when placed directly against the subject. • Does not incapacitate but works through pain compliance. • Provides little tactical advantage over nonelectrified alternatives. • Application of stun shields to the spine can cause injury • Damage to sensitive areas (e.g. eyes, genitals and open wounds) • Burn marks • Risk of secondary injuries caused by falls • Death Sources: PH Yoon, The ‘stunning’ truth: Stun belts debilitate, they prejudice, and they may even kill, Capital Defense Journal, 15:2, 1 March 2003, http:// scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1531&context=wlucdj; Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Report of Subcommittee on Conditions of Confinement on the Use of Stun Shields by the New York City Department of Correction, 129518 v.3, 2001, http://bit.ly/1E3dnXd. POLICY BRIEF 86 • JUNE 2016 3