# Mistreatment and abuse Since the first immigration detention centre opened in the UK in 1970, detention has had a worrying history of abuse and neglect. As is explained later in this chapter, this has resulted in various government responses and changes to detention policy. However, given the function of immigration detention is to remove people against their will, the system necessitates the use of force and coercion and – as history has shown – is therefore ripe for abuse from staff towards people in detention. In the inquiry into allegations of abuse at Oakington IRC - exposed through undercover reporting from the BBC - Steven Shaw (former Prison and Probation Ombudsman) shrewdly remarked:  “*That said, the very purpose of immigration detention is to exercise coercive power over foreigners prior to their removal from the country. It is perhaps not a surprise that this function, combined with the attitude towards asylum-seekers and other would-be immigrants of some sections of the media, can become a breeding ground for racist and abusive word and deed*.”\[1] *** 1. [Inquiry into allegations of racism and mistreatment of detainees at Oakington immigration reception centre and while under escort](https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f/uploads/sites/34/2015/11/special-oakington-irc-051.pdf) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://avid-detention.gitbook.io/avid-handbook/safeguards/harms-of-detention-what-safeguarding-concerns-do-visitors-come-across-in-detention/mistreatment-and-abuse.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.