Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's
wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a
chain, a
hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a
ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist. Without the key, the handcuffs cannot be removed and so the handcuffed person is unable to move his or her wrists more than a few centimetres/inches apart, making many tasks difficult or impossible. This is usually done to prevent
suspected criminals from escaping
police custody.