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@beerandsteak
Well, it's a use of force and should therefore be justified. It'll depend on a myriad of factors in reality with preventing escape/harm to themselves and others being the most obvious. Unfortunately there does seem to be a culture of 'justify why you didn't cuff them rather than why you did' amongst some police.
Most of us use common sense though and I rarely cuff people if I can help it, but then I'm a relatively muscular 6ft, 14st and possibly take more chances than my smaller/unfit colleagues...
However, if I had arrested someone for carrying a knife/drugs then common sense would dictate that no matter their age/size I cuff them to restrict movement incase they are carrying more of the same in an intimate unsearched area and can thus discard/use said items.
I would not just cuff someone for the hell of it though, and nor do the majority of my colleagues!