'I Feel Trapped': The Role Of The Cell In The Embodied And Everyday Practices Of Police Custody

This chapter explores the police custody cell from the perspective of policing staff. Legally it is the cornerstone of the criminal investigation process, being the place where arrested persons are taken while charging decisions are made. Police custody is a liminal space, one where detainees are monitored extensively and where detainees are ‘betwixt and between’ their previous existence. It is therefore a complex and multi-faceted environment that has, until recently, been treated in a fairly monolithic way. This chapter draws on 15 hours of observations and 12 interviews with police officers and custody staff. It argues that the police custody cell is a space of monitoring risk and emotional turmoil are managed by staff.