The Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) is a school for special needs children. The JRC is known for the fact that they use aversives–in the form of electric shocks–as part of their program. Not all students get the shocks, but it is a part of the program there.
The ABC program Nightline will air an episode on JRC tonight. Their website already has a story, UN Calls Shock Treatment at Mass. School ‘Torture’.
Here is a quote from that story:
“To be frank, I was shocked when I was reading the report,” said Manfred Nowak, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Torture. “What I did, on the 11th of May, was to send an urgent appeal to the U.S. government asking them to investigate.”
The United States Department of Justice already opened an investigation on the JRC earlier this year after a consortium of disability organizations sent a complaint letter.
Left Brain Right Brain 
The UN has NO buisness butting into an issue they know NOTHING about. How embarrasingly obtuse can some people be? Here’s a reality checko u self important sacks of arrogant ignorance: Try waking up everyday to a 6’2″ profoundly mentally retarded man, who immediately, upon getting up, starts pounding his head into a wall. Five minutes later, he’s running into the street, naked. Then he’s scratching everyone. Biting his fingers. Pulling chuncks of flesh off his forearm. Punching his teeth. Poking his fingers into his ears, drawing blood. It takes about 4-5 people to protect him from himself and from hurting others. He has been to countless doctors, had numerous possible etiologies RULED out, as to pain being the cause of such behavior. Though acute pain can certainly trigger such behavior. He’s had chiropractic care, holistic treatments, including massage, herbal wraps, amino acid shakes, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc…teeth exams to rule out dental pain. Nothing, outside the sadness of his inability to understand how to deal with the world around him, and how he feels, can explain such BIZARRE and dangerous behavior. Experts certainaly don’t understand it, though they write volumes trying to figure it out. Dozens of behavioral “experts” have worked with this individual. All have failed to provide effective treatment to stop this savage and brutal behavior. So then what? WHAT? What next when nothing else works? You drug him. That’s right. You wip out the Geodon. Haldol. Mellaril. Thorazine. Maybe a cocktail of two or three. Oh, and some benadryl, IM (intramuscular). Then, after he’s drooling and sedated to the point of semi-coma, you place him in four point restraints and toss him into a room, where he’s left alone and watched on a camera, while nurses and doctors talk about where they will go to lunch. Then, you do that day after day, until his liver and kidneys fail and he dies. Yep, that’s much better than an occasional skin shock. You betcha.
advocateautie,
I appreciate your comment. No one denies that there are people with very challenging behaviors and that we as a society need to work to help those people.
First, I would say, the UN does have experience with issues of human rights. Second, numerous disability advocacy organizations have called for an investigation into JRC. Third, is it the contention that the only two alternatives are (a) drugging and restraint or (b) electrical shocks? With >$200,000 per year, there is no other option? Fourth, where is the data that says that (a) the JRC program is effective long term and (b) that it doesn’t cause harm to anyone long term?
“Though acute pain can certainly trigger such behavior.”
Isn’t electrical shock “acute pain”?
advocateautie,
1. Did anyone try Daily Life Therapy? If so, what happened? If not, why not?
2. Did anyone try Facilitated Communication? If so, what happened? If not, why not?
3. Please quantify the actual data (per week) on “an occasional skin shock.”
4. Is this the factual information about an actual person or is it hyperbole?
Arthur Golden
Electroconvulsive schock therapy is certainly controversial but has been shown to be helpful in some cases.
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/165/3/329
This is case that shows the reality of severe autism, not the picture of shiny happy self-diagnosed (mis-diagnosed) Aspies that populate the internet calling for an end to cruel and unusual therapies and the most profoundly handicapped individuals should be denied therapies that can actually improve their lives.
The young woman in this article should be nominated to serve on the Board of Directors of Autism Speaks and the IACC to give diversity representation beyond the neurodiversity ideologues.
@RAJ: What are you babbling about? ECT is not what they do at the JRC. Nor is it the case that JRC inmates are generally “the most profoundly handicapped individuals.” Please inform yourself better.
How about the fact that skin shock therapy (acute intervention” adheres to the homeopathic ideology that like and like cures?
advocateautie,
After 3 weeks, I see you have posted here again. So let me repeat my comment directed to you and ask if you could reply to me now? Actually, this thread has been inactive while there has been an active discussion on the LBRB blog entry “ABC Nightline video on the Judge Rotenberg Center”. I plan to post my comment there and I think it would be perferable if you answered there.
Art
And following is my original comment directed to you:
advocateautie,
1. Did anyone try Daily Life Therapy? If so, what happened? If not, why not?
2. Did anyone try Facilitated Communication? If so, what happened? If not, why not?
3. Please quantify the actual data (per week) on “an occasional skin shock.”
4. Is this the factual information about an actual person or is it hyperbole?
Arthur Golden