Throughout much of the twentieth century, the use of straitjackets in mental institutions reflected the broader attitudes toward mental illness, control, and institutional care. Originally introduced as a means of preventing patients from harming themselves or others, straitjackets were considered a humane alternative to chains or cages that had been used in earlier centuries. Made of heavy canvas with long sleeves that fastened behind the back, the garment physically restricted movement, immobilising the wearer. However, what began as a medical restraint often became a tool of social control. In overcrowded and under-resourced asylums, staff frequently relied on straitjackets to manage difficult behaviour, sometimes for convenience rather than necessity.
Patients could be restrained for hours or days, intensifying feelings of fear, humiliation, and powerlessness. The practice came to symbolise the oppressive nature of psychiatric institutions during this era. As the century progressed, mental health reform movements began to challenge such methods, emphasising patient rights and humane treatment. The introduction of psychotropic medications in the 1950s, along with changing social attitudes, led to a gradual decline in the use of physical restraints. By the late twentieth century, straitjackets were largely phased out in favour of less restrictive and more therapeutic approaches, though their image remains deeply ingrained in popular culture as a symbol of madness and institutional abuse. Today, their history serves as a reminder of the importance of dignity, compassion, and ethical standards in mental health care.
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3D image caption
Heavy cream canvas straitjacket worn by some female patients as a restraining device at a mental health hospital – Mayday Hills Hospital, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, circa 1900. Courtesy of the Melbourne Museum
Written by Dr Alison Watts, Adjunct Lecturer, Southern Cross University
See Alison’s full bio here
This Mayday Hills website has been supported by funding from the Telematics Trust
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