Latest in the Series

Mentally ill man restrained in chair for 3 days settles case in Williamson County

Travis Braden settled his civil rights case with Williamson County for $27,500 after he was restrained in a chair for days — a practice deemed “torture” by the United Nations.

April 7, 2026

by Grace Hauck
Story 2

Read All the Stories

The U.N. Calls Restraint Chairs Torture. Illinois Jails Use Them Every Day.

The Illinois Answers Project found jail staff are restraining people in chairs in ways that often violate policies and last longer than recommended by manufacturers.

July 9, 2024

By Grace Hauck
Story 1

Most Illinois jails restrain people in chairs. This county ‘violently shocked’ them, too.

A few years ago, Coles County Jail promised to stop using electrified “stun cuffs” to shock people restrained in chairs. How much has changed?

July 16, 2024

By Grace Hauck
Story 2

A mentally ill man was restrained in a chair for 68 hours at Franklin County Jail, violating policies, report says.

One man was restrained for 68 hours, another for 27 hours. Both were mentally ill. The jail’s own policies say restraint should never last more than 10 hours.

October 15, 2024

By Grace Hauck
Story 2

He attempted suicide. Peoria Jail restrained him in a chair for five days.

Peoria County Jail, in recent years, has restrained its charges for longer durations than other jails in Illinois and far past industry recommendations. There is evidence of a mental health issue in at least 70% of its restraint incidents.

October 28, 2024

By Meredith Newman
Story 2

Our “Strapped Down” series on restraint chairs in Illinois is now a zine

We spent months looking into the use of restraint chairs in Illinois. You can now read about our findings and more resources in our zine.

December 19, 2024

By Illinois Answers Project
Story 2

People were strapped to chairs for hours, days at Madison County Jail. Many were mentally ill or in withdrawal.

Of all Illinois jails, Madison County has the most incidents of restraint lasting longer than 10 hours–the upper limit set by the chair manufacturer. The jail said they’re not equipped to care for so many mentally ill detainees.

January 29, 2025

by Grace Hauck
and Janelle O'Dea
Story 2

Champaign County Jail Begins Tracking and Reporting Use of Restraint Chairs to the State for the First Time

Champaign County Jail updated the way it documents, tracks and reports use of restraint chairs after an Illinois Answers Project investigation raised questions about the facility’s record-keeping practices and failure to report incidents to a state oversight unit.

February 8, 2025

by Grace Hauck
Story 2

Cook County Jail restrained people in chairs 874 times — and never reported it to the state

The state requires jails to report when they use restraint chairs. For nearly 900 cases from 2019 to 2023, Cook County Jail never did.

April 22, 2025

by Grace Hauck
Story 2

How three states are addressing the use and abuse of restraint chairs

Our “Strapped Down” series investigated the misuse of restraint chairs in Illinois, but the devices are used in jails across the U.S. These stories explore how California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania have responded to misuse in their states.

May 15, 2025

by Grace Hauck
Story 2

[Video] Strapped Down: Investigating Restraint Chairs in Illinois Jails

Our “Strapped Down” series investigated the misuse of restraint chairs in Illinois, but the devices are used in jails across the U.S. These stories explore how California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania have responded to misuse in their states.

May 15, 2025

by Grace Hauck
Story 2

Mentally ill man restrained in chair for 3 days settles case in Williamson County

Travis Braden settled his civil rights case with Williamson County for $27,500 after he was restrained in a chair for days — a practice deemed “torture” by the United Nations.

April 7, 2026

by Grace Hauck
Story 2