Use of Force Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real BSCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Use of Force Principles flashcards as text
Which of the following actions by a correctional officer would be considered a use of 'soft empty-hand control'?
Answer: Applying a wrist lock to guide a non-compliant inmate
Soft empty-hand control includes joint locks and escort holds that use minimal pain compliance without strikes or weapons.
When documenting a use-of-force incident, which information is LEAST important to include?
Answer: The officer's shift schedule for the following week
Future shift schedules are irrelevant to documenting the facts, circumstances, and outcomes of a use-of-force incident.
An inmate passively resists by going limp and refusing to walk. Which response is most appropriate as a first option?
Answer: Use verbal persuasion and attempt to physically guide the inmate
Passive resistance warrants verbal attempts and minimal physical guidance before escalating to higher force options.
Which constitutional amendment primarily governs excessive force claims by pretrial detainees?
Answer: Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause governs excessive force claims by pretrial detainees who have not yet been convicted.
What is the primary purpose of policy requiring officers to issue a warning before using force when feasible?
Answer: To provide the inmate an opportunity to comply and avoid the need for force
Warnings give subjects the opportunity to comply voluntarily, potentially eliminating the need for force altogether.
Which of the following best describes 'less-lethal' force options?
Answer: Force options designed to incapacitate without intended lethal effect but that carry some risk of death
Less-lethal options are intended to be non-fatal but can cause serious injury or death under certain conditions, hence 'less-lethal' rather than 'non-lethal.'
Which action best demonstrates an officer's adherence to the principle of 'force as a last resort'?
Answer: Exhausting verbal and tactical options before applying physical force
Force as a last resort means actively attempting every reasonable alternative—verbal commands, positioning, de-escalation—before resorting to physical force.