Yes, it is shocking: More on the Judge Rotenburg Center’s use of electric shock
In a June 23rd editorial entitled Not so shocking, the Boston Globe calls on the “controversial” Judge Rotenburg Center (JRC) in Canton, Massachusetts, to “to maintain impeccable documentation of its practices and personnel” regarding its used of electric shock. The JRC, the Boston Globe notes, is “the only school in the nation that routinely uses skin shocks to control self-destructive and violent behavior on the part of some of its autistic, retarded, and emotionally disabled students.” The editorial notes that
The Rotenberg center routinely accepts referrals from traditional programs that couldn’t handle their most difficult patients. These include young people who gouge at their eyes, cut themselves, bang their heads violently, and attack others indiscriminately. For every parent who complains about the skin shocks, it seems there are scores willing to testify that aversive therapy restored functionality to their children and families. Any blanket attempt by the Legislature to ban the treatment, such as the one proposed by state Senator Brian Joyce of Milton, would be a deep disservice.
As the mother of a 9-year-old autistic child who has had some serious self-injurious and aggressive behaviors, I can only say that I believe that this sort of “aversive therapy” would do more than a “deep disservice” to my son. Through careful observation, we have learned that Charlie has head-banged or hit because he is trying to communicate—is trying to get attention—is trying to get out of a situation—has a headache—and does not have the language to explain any of this. It takes a lot of slow and patient teaching to give him the skill of asking for a break, or to use the bathroom, or to tell us he is full and does not want to eat all that is on his plate.
But this kind of teaching is more than worth it. And it is giving Charlie more than “functionality.”
And, rather than considering the inhumanity of electric shock to “control self-destructive and violent behavior,” what does the Boston Globe editorial fault the JRC for?
Faulty paperwork.
Matthew Israel, the school’s founder, says it was entirely his failure to keep up with changing state regulations that led to several of his clinicians being listed as “psychologists” despite their lack of state licenses, although nearly all had doctoral degrees in psychology. It’s a serious matter, but regulators should take care to investigate without getting caught up in the emotional charges that seem to rear up against the frequently misjudged treatment center.
Mention “electric shock” and “disabled students” and, I think, it is near-impossible not to get “caught up in the emotional charges.”
Because if we did not get “caught up” in them, we would be responding as human beings.
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POSTED IN: Disability Rights, Legislation, Psychology, Safety, Treatment
8 opinions for Yes, it is shocking: More on the Judge Rotenburg Center’s use of electric shock
Autism Vox » Shocking behavior and “the wound to human dignity”
Jul 16, 2006 at 7:56 am
[…] The Judge Rothenburg Center (JRC) (which I posted about here) is a school that has used such aversive treatments. Sundram does not mention any specific schools that use such practises; he notes that the New York State Legislature “is considering whether to ban the use of such aversives outriight” and calls on the state of New York to no longer send students to out-state-placements like the JRC. […]
Autism Vox » Disability Rights are Human Rights: The Rotenburg Center and Torture
Oct 31, 2006 at 6:24 pm
[…] So writes Lisa Blumberg in Torture and Disability Rights on today’s Ragged Edge Online. Blumberg refers to the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts, where disabled students (some of whom have autism) were punished by having electric shock administered to them (see N.Y. report denounces shock use at school and Yes, it is shocking: More on the Judge Rotenburg Center’s use of electric shock, my earlier post). […]
Left Brain/Right Brain » Harold L Doherty builds a strawman army
Feb 18, 2007 at 5:25 am
[…] Here we say Mr Doherty taking the ‘scattergun’ approach to logical fallacy. Just about every sentence in that scaremongering paragraph is fallacious. For example, its no secret that my daughter doesn’t speak. Ballastexitenz has a whole category regarding self-injurious behaviour. I have written more than once about the horrors that can happen when there is a lack of decent facilities for autistic youths and adults, as has Ballastexistenz, Mike Stanton, Kristina Chew and most of the online community Mr Doherty would think of as falling under the umbrella of ‘sirens’. […]
Yes, It is Cruel
Aug 15, 2007 at 6:03 pm
[…] Yes, it is shocking: More on the Judge Rotenburg Center’s use of electric shock […]
bronx girl
Jun 29, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I think there are things that go on in there that should be expressed and investigated like abuse,mentally and phycially because there so far away dont think that we dont care about our children when there in someones elses care. we put our children in there for help not to turn them into confused children where things get worse off then what they are.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jun 29, 2008 at 10:19 pm
@bronx girl,
it’s not easy……so far we have been able to have our son at home. He doesn’t have a lot of speech and would not be able to communicate if something like abuse occurred.
Synesthesia
Jun 30, 2008 at 10:00 am
It absolutely horrifies and distresses me that there are folks out there who think shocking children like this is acceptable!
It makes me so mad!
It also makes me wonder why groups like Autism Speaks to my knowledge don’t seem to address this…
Or does a certain attitude about autism lead people at the JRC to believe that inflicting pain on a person who is already inflicting pain on themselves is the only solution and there is no other way to deal with the situation.
That place should have been shut down years ago. They have such a high turnover rate they are constantly looking for new workers, which means the staff leaves before they get to know each “student”. Meaning that one on one care is lacking.
Also, last year on my birthday they shocked several students over a prank call.
It is not a trustworthy place and should be shut down.
Regan
Jun 30, 2008 at 1:43 pm
There are several current bills in the MA legislature, and 3 of them are directly applicable to JRC and its operations. They are also applicable to the oversight and operation of other MA programs.
JRC is the one that really gets people’s dander up because of the GED/SIBIS, but the focus of resident treatment should be broader–unfortunately it’s a larger issue than one school.
Life and Death in State-Operated Developmental Disability Institutions
Equip for Equality
http://www.equipforequality.org/news/state-operated-dev-disability-institutions.php
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