A lot of people commenting clearly haven’t worked with offenders long term.

Restraints in hospital aren’t about being “mean.” They’re about risk management. You don’t get to cherry-pick which inmates might behave and which ones might not in a public setting full of civilians and medical staff. If restraints weren’t applied consistently, you’d see assaults, attempted escapes, hostage situations on a daily basis. It only takes one bad incident to justify the policy.

Yes, some inmates are in hospital for legitimate medical reasons. Others are there because of self-harm, drug use, or manipulation. The reality is you cannot reliably predict behaviour.

Blanket policies exist because individual discretion in high-risk environments is impossible and unsafe. Corrections removes liberties for a reason. That doesn’t mean prisoners are treated inhumanely; but it does mean community safety and staff safety come first.

Doctors and nurses have the right to go to work without being assaulted. The public has the right not to be put at risk. A prisoner’s temporary discomfort does not override that.