They probaly should get Ceasar Milano in that place to teach how to handle dogs. They already have the leashes. Ohhh. Maybe not. I think that would be against the LAW. ANIMAL ABUSE. Lemme see. Dem drugs didn't work like the drug companies hoped. At least they got some free trials. Hey. Maybe we can do what they used to do. Yeah, that's it. Look at the behavior modifications. Wow. We're really smart. Then we can all pray to Jesus for the kids to be better HUMANS. May they all suffer similar fates!

I tried to be objective reading the story as I understand what it is like to deal with violent patients. Yet I cannot understand how shocking someone 5000 times in one day is not criminal assault.Also what does it take before it is recognized something, or a technique is not working. I find the story frightening from the fact that this extreme form of behavior modification is allowed. I have to wonder if allowed what addtional steps would be taken to correct a behavior.

they used to treat depression with shock therapy, who says throwbacks can't happen monkeys? Sounds like hell, glad my meds work

are WE shocked? we shouldn't be... its not as if the information isn't OUT THERE... the fact is... if we KNEW a couple who stuffed their kids into this "care"... how many of us would 'get their hands dirty' to help? worse yet, how many of us are *actively involved* in children in our neighbourhoods? with litigous parents, territorial 'professionals', domineering "I have ONE kid, an All-Terrain Carriage & I'm a Misunderstood GODDESS"-Preppy Mothers, & the general suspicions that ANY adult who wishes to even TALK to kids is a pedophile... who of us isn't too AFRAID of the old adage, "no Good Deed goes unpunished..." our VILLAGES' children are being taught by television & marketing... & little else as our communities become more & more 'privatized'... ...& we all suffer, not *just* the most vulnerable... Spread Love... ... but wear the Glove! BlueBerry Pick'n can be found @ ThisCanadian DOT com "Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"

I find it distressing that children with RAD (as the two foster kids mentioned) can be subjected to this. That is the very last treatment a RAD child should receive.

Is the Bush administration running this place?! Sure sound like it. Torture the children to SAVE the children! What will Christians think of next!? Oh! I know, Water Boarding!

I've seen nothing here that excuses using horrible practices such as those described to change behavior.

Matt Israel must have lost his abililty to learn anything new, and so these barbaric practices continue. Parents are being tricked into turning their loved ones over to torture. We need to do a much better job of providing sound alternatives so they are not vulnerable to being driven to this horrid "treatment".

If this place was a facility on Bribie Island, Queensland, these people would be facing court on charges of torture, deprivation of liberty and assault.Similar charges are currently before the Brisbane courts.

What is even more amazing, is that Skinner's theories/techniques are simply accepted without question, yet he stacked the deck by starving his rats first. It looks like Israel watched the first half of A Clockwork Orange before shocking the Palestinians--oh. Wrong Israel. I mean children. Parents: not interested in caring for their children, interested in a nice life without upset and great convenience. Watch out for blowback.

should have shot him. he is still a phsyco, loser .

These inmates have no rights, and their families have been sadly mislead to think this is "treatment". For this treatment to be successful, their wills and spirits must be broken. The more intelligent they are, and the more healthy their sense of self-preservation is when they begin treatment, the more severe their "treatment" will be. Tragic!

I don't understand how this is legal? What happened to cruel and unusual punishment? What laws could possibly protect this torture chamber? Don't they have protesters pacing back and forth outside their doors? If not, why the hell not? Pray to God this place is closed down and every employee has a Judgement Day that no one could fathom. What can we do outside of the state of Mass? I live in IL. I want to close this school. How can I help do that?

I worked at BRI back in 1994 when it had 68 students. I won't say exactly what I did because it would identify me quite closely as the staff was small then. I was in and out of the classrooms and observed the staff and clients. We did not call them "kids" because most were adult age. I saw newly arrived clients in strait jackets and helmet throwing themselves around the room into walls, and beating their heads. One women, if I recall correctly, was blind because she had scratched out her own eye. More than a few clients would eat anything, even inedible objects incompatible with life. So many of the clients had scars from self-injury. Horrific facial scars were common. ALL the clients were profoundly disturbed and/or autistic and/or severely mentally disabled. All had been violent or severely self-injurious. It was terrifying. And despite that, BRI was no hall of horrors. It was a graceful former school, with high ceilings and beautiful woodwork. The clients were in good spirits. They smiled and some--the ones who could--interacted with each other and the staff. Hugs were readily given. The staff was friendly to me and to each other, despite the rigors of their daily labor. We did not socialize much, but that is because all our attention was on the clients. it had to be. Classroom staff were required to note every reward (yes, there were frequent rewards) and every adversive. Unlike your disgruntled former employees, we understood that this was both to monitor behavior modification and to prevent abuse. This was not a bunch of yahoo's shocking the feebs for fun. We were professionals. The behavior modification was conducted in a professional manner. During my time at BRI, I saw the shock used a few times times, never outside guidelines and always with compassion. Like most of the staff, I had been appalled at first. As part of my orientation, I was allowed to feel the electric shock they used--most staff took advantage of that opportunity. It felt exactly like what they described, a bee sting, except that it faded instantly after the requisite two seconds. I didn't feel any further pain. It was no worse than snapping a rubber band against your wrist--something I had done in college to stop biting my nails. I asked questions about the efficacy, the legality, and the protocol for using the shock during my new employee training. All my questions were answered. Everyone--the whole staff and parents--understood that this shock was a terrible thing, but what it prevented was FAR worse. We had clients who had beaten themselves to pulps, scratched themselves bloody until they needed skin grafts. Those same clients were functioning relatively normally, learning what they could learn, but able to interact with parents and staff without the severely violent and self-injurious behavior. They were learning. Far from being the stultifying rote computer tasks, our students were using computers at the cutting edge of what was understood about severe autism. The idea was that severely autistic people have an impossible time interacting with other humans. Using computers gave clients the chance to learn without having the human interactions that was both distressing and overwhelming to them. The computer programs were successful for exactly what Jennifer Gonnerman decries: because there was no human interaction. Gonnerman has a basic disconnect--a lack of research, perhaps--into what drives the learning experience of the severely autistic. Otherwise, she would have known better than to make the criticisms she made. I also met some of the parents. Parents were frequent visitors at BRI. They were particularly cognizant of the what and why of their children's treatment and the necessity for it. One parent told me how her son had been thrown out of every institution there was who served kids like him, all 11, how BRI was their last chance. How BRI had given her son back to her because it stopped a litany of horrific violent and self-abusive behaviors. Another set of parents picked up their cheerleader pretty daughter to take her to lunch and to have her hair done commented that now they COULD, she was no longer self injuring. And I think I knew Brandon. I remember the day he graduated from high school (and left BRI, if I recall correctly). He was a short guy and thin, dark hair. He had the most horrible scars on every visible portion of his body, the kind you get from third degree burns and skin grafts. And I remember him saying that if it wasn't for BRI, he never could have graduated from high school, or even stood talking to the small group of people he was addressing in the main hall. It was a very emotional moment for this young man... and he wasn't itching himself bloody. He was the most capable of the high functioning clients. I knew other high functioning clients... the one who would run away all the time often into dangerous situations. The one who would drink any kind of alcohol (including isopropyl alcohol) which had put him in the hospital more than once. They lied, telling amazingly, creative stories that were completely false and easily proven false. Despite their obvious intelligence, and impressive story telling ability, these were severely disturbed individuals. I had to ask myself, was BRI so much worse than prison or the street? Because that's where these high functioning clients would be otherwise, being victimized by people far worse, far less professional and far less compassionate than the staff at BRI. The low functioning clients were a less difficult case. Their alternative was to slowly beat, scratch, and tantrum themselves to death. They had no lives before BRI and the pain of self-injury was incomparable. The shock was bad, but the alternative was far, far worse. If the shock was inhumane, it was far more inhumane to allow to happen what would have happened in the absence of the shock. This was the end of the road for most of these clients. There was simply nowhere else to go. I had to conclude, appalling and heart-wrenching though it was, that the shock worked when nothing else did. And it gave those clients their lives back. That was my experience at BRI. I worked there during (or slightly after, I forget the exact timing) the Connie Chung debacle. The staff understood very clearly that Chung had entered the school with a set idea in mind, nothing was going to change her mind, and she was going to do what we all referred to as a "hatchet-job." That she did. In the ensuing pullout of students by "horrified" parents, my job was eliminated and I was laid off. Nowadays, I am a journalist, and I understand the wrongness of what Connie Chung did all too well. She was not unbiased. She went in with the idea to prove a point--one that had no basis in reality--and when she could not prove that point, she edited the tapes to make it look like she was correct all along. She deserved to be shown up. What she did was of the greatest malfeasance. It went against everything that a journalist is supposed to do and be. I do not know what is currently happening at the Rotenberg Center, but I do know a hatchet job when I see one. I have always respected Mother Jones' investigative reporting. Mother Jones was one of few magazines that I actually trust in this age of political spin and Rovian lies. I am profoundly disturbed to read such a one-sided article--a hatchet job--in your pages. Apparently, though parents were interviewed, their stories were disregarded through the lens of "we know better." Only disgruntled former employees were interviewed. Would it have been so hard to find someone like me who didn't have an ax to grind? Would showing the other side of the story have been so detrimental to the underlying bias that it couldn't help but show and be debunked? It appalls me that Mother Jones did a less journalistically competent job than Law and Order in covering the Rotenburg Center. At least Law and Order showed the complexities of the treatment, the impossibility of the parents plight at the very end when the now desperate mother asks Jack McCoy if HE will care for her severely autistic son. Shame on you, Mother Jones.

Oh my God. I have lost all faith in humanity. I want to believe that we are good, but we aren't, are we? I can't stop crying and I'm at work. Oh God.

I think the fact that judges will listen to this school and agree that the students should be shocked shows what they think of the handicapped. They believe they are less than human...like Hitler convinced people about the Jews.If prison authorities went to court to get permission to shock the inmates they wouldn't get it and imagine the uproar if we learned that a dog kennel was shocking dogs.

proof that we live in a society where different isnt different. its wrong. to think that we were born into a world where humans are able to control other humans... shock them, monitor them in high tech facilities.... existence sucks right now.

It's a good thing they didn't just now discover medical surgery. I could see the MJ report now: "Razor sharp knives used to cut through flesh, skin and muscles!. Electric saws cut used into bones, skull!" Then readers would go "how horrific! how uncivilized!" Sometimes treatments are not pleasant, it doesn't make them wrong. Mother Jones has done a disservice sensationalizing the matter, taking it out of context. Let's hope a more balanced treatment of the subject shows up elsewhere in the media.

a really troubled teen will start to enjoy the shocks after the second hit. Dr.Q

This man should be barred from being near children. This is all part of of Big Brother totalitarianism fostered by the GOP ( Goverment Of Psychopaths)

Why aren't mental disorders treated in a similar manner as illness of the body? These boys are ill and need complete medical testing until doctors find the clues to what is wrong. As the parent of a 12 year old boy with autism, I believe that most humans have been damaged by their vaccines received throughout their childhood. Any child with issues should be tested for heavy metal poisoning and chronic viral and bacterial infections. Children on the autism spectrum are now recovering after treatment for these body burdens. It should be standard practice to seriously evaluate these kids physical health before zapping them.

The CIA will probably end up recruiting these kids for black ops. The one kid said it's worse than jail - sounds like hell to me.

What a great Nazi he would make. Yes I know. Yes I know - that is precisely why I said what I said. Odd, how the state can't act against someone who no one in the scientific community would support!

why do they do these horrible things to the mentally ill? mostly, i think, because they can. society doesn't care enough to impose strict guidlines on torturous medical practices. some practicioners may sincerely believe that they are performing in keeping with the highest principles; some are just unprincipled and should be not only routed from the profession, but made legally accountable for their actions.

I cannot believe that this is not against the law! I would so like to go to the owner and ask him to explain why? I just cannot believe that they use shocks to punish the children! It infuriates me so! Oh and they shouldn't suffer the pain from these MANIACS! I wonder what do these people think will come from this torture?

Does the Eighth Amendment mean nothing anymore? Someone, like the Child Advocacy Program at Harvard Law School, should be starting litigation against these sickos.

I have visited the Judge Rotenburg Center and I am a Behavior Analyst. Perhaps I was misled, and if that is the case, then what I have to say is not accurate. I believe the parents and guardians know exactly what wonderful rewards await their children when they place them in Dr. Israel's program, as well as what punishments there are for extreme (pulling off ears, pulling out intestines, etc.) self-injury and aggression. They should not put their children in Dr. Israel's care if they don't want those contingencies. Only the most disturbed children should go to Judge Rotenburg Center. The research should prove which children are candidates for such harsh treatment. I feel that it is a shame that we need such a program, but you will be able to find parents who are grateful to Dr. Israel and Judge Rotenburg for helping their children who respond ONLY to such contingencies. He has to show through a functional analysis that those children do not respond to reinforcement for appropriate behaviors, extinction or positive correction for inappropriate behaviors, the positive consequences used most the change inappropriate behaviors. I hate it, too!

Utter depravity. Those that proposed such a facility are severely disturbed. Worse, they are conditioning staff to be oblivious to the torture. It's clear that there's pychopaths involved in the creation and operation of these conditioning centers. Wake up!

(Part 1 of 4) [For a properly formatted version of this post, with links to supporting papers, please see http://www.judgerc.org/ResponsetoGonnermanArticle.pdf] Jennifer Gonnerman’s article “School of Shock” (Mother Jones, September/October 2007) is a biased and misleading account of the Judge Rotenberg Center that is best characterized as a hatchet job. For readers who would like the truth about our school, please see http://www.judgerc.org/introto jrc.html...................... ................................... .................................................................... Ms. Gonnerman persuaded JRC and the Parents of the JRC students to allow her to come to JRC and observe the school and the students by very cleverly and falsely pretending to be sympathetic to the cause of the JRC students and their parents. She asserted that she had read all the letters from the parents on the JRC web site (see http://www.judgerc.org/parentletters.html) and had cried while reading them. In addition, she represented that the article she was writing would be published in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, a magazine that has a reputation for printing serious, balanced, non-sensational articles. The Times even flew a very artistic photographer and assistant from San Francisco to do the photography. After the article was written it did not appear in the Times. When we asked Ms. Gonnerman why, she said the Times had rejected it because it was not of sufficiently national interest. Now that we have seen the article, it seems more likely to me that the reason the Times rejected the article was that the article was not a fair and balanced article and was too obviously a negative hatchet job from the start......................... .............................. ................................... ....................................Ms. Gonnerman has, for her own personal gain, shamefully exploited the severely disabled JRC students and their parents. Ms. Gonnerman’s effort to ignore or gloss over JRC’s treatment successes, all the evidence that supports the use of aversives, and the plight of its students before attending JRC, are so blatant in her article that it should never have been published by Mother Jones. The many court victories won by the JRC Parents to preserve the JRC treatment program are a matter of public record and should have been investigated by Mother Jones before the magazine printed Ms. Gonnerman’s fallacious article....................... .............................. ................................... ......................................This type of a dishonest article could have been written about any topic, no matter how benign. Ms. Gonnerman could have written such a negative article about freshman life at any university, for instance. She could write about the cramped and cluttered conditions of the dormitory, the terrible food, the homesickness, the late nights with little sleep, the incredible long lines at the registrar’s office and the book store, the overcrowded classrooms, the high tuition, and the exposure to underage drinking. She could also add lies to further sensationalize her story, as she did with the JRC article, by reporting that most students cry themselves to sleep because they are so depressed and many are dangerously gaunt due to the bad food. Ms Gonnerman could make college sound like a horrible, abusive place by not mentioning such things as all of the interesting subjects the students learned about, the exposure to talented and fascinating professors and other lecturers, exposure to the arts, learning how to do research and write on a college level, learning about and choosing a career, meeting and getting to know fellow students from around the world, meeting the people who will be friends for life, and learning how to live independently from their parents. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. This distorted report of college life is essentially what Ms. Gonnerman did to JRC when she decided to write a negative article about JRC. Such a fraudulent article about college life would not be so harmful because many people have attended college and would know right away that the article is dishonest. What makes Ms. Gonnerman's article so harmful and exploitive is the fact that only a tiny fraction of the population has had any exposure to severe behavior disorders..................... .............................. ................................... ........................................In order to understand JRC in its proper context, the following points must be made, none of which were explained in Ms. Gonnerman’s article....................... .............................. ................................... ......................................1. It is well documented in scientific articles and in court findings that some special needs children and adolescents have behaviors that are so self-abusive, aggressive or destructive as to be life-threatening and self-maiming. Consider, for example, just one type of behavior -- self-abuse. Some special needs children referred to JRC have shown self-abusive behaviors such as banging their head to the point of brain damage, biting off their own fingertips, pulling out their teeth, vomiting and refusing food to the point of starvation, biting a hole through their cheek, biting off part of their own tongue, scratching their heel to the point of blood, bone infection and eventual death, breaking their own arm, cutting off their own earlobe with a scissor, running into moving traffic, punching their eyes causing detached retinas and blindness, pulling out their hair to the point of baldness, swallowing x-acto knives, and cutting their skin with a knife so often that the skin becomes too tough to be sutured. .............................. .............................. ................................... ..............................2.Children with very severe problem behaviors usually cannot be successfully educated in public schools. When a public school encounters such a student, the school usually refers the student to a psychiatric hospital where the student is often not effectively treated. Instead, the student is usually drugged into a stupor. If students are given high enough dosages of psychotropic drugs, these drugs will sedate them so much that the students are incapable of hurting themselves or anyone else but such students are also incapable of participating in education or even communicating with their family. These drugs also have many debilitating side-effects including kidney damage, liver damage, tremors, obesity, and lock jaw and many effects are permanent. Unfortunately many so-called experts in this field will refer to this drug stupefaction as a treatment success. .............................. .............................. ................................... ..............................Other so-called effective treatments for severe behavior disorders that JRC has seen in the histories of newly admitted students include lobotomy, removal of teeth (for severe biters), constant seclusion, constant mechanical restraint, and many others that experts refer to as “more humane and effective” alternatives to JRC’s aversive procedures. The lack of effective alternatives and the sheer cruelty of drugging a child into a near coma is why parents turn to a non-public, special needs school such as the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center that is specially equipped to manage and educate the student, and has a proven track record of saving students from the ravages of constant heavy sedation. .............................. .............................. .................................................................A real journalist would have mentioned these facts and, more importantly, investigated why the anti-aversive experts are hiding the fact that there are no effective treatment alternatives for severe behavior disorders. A real journalist would have asked why the JRC students have, prior to coming to JRC, spent so many wasted months or years sedated in a psychiatric ward and why their parents had to fight to get their child out of a psychiatric ward and into a special needs school such as JRC. Finally, a real journalist would have investigated why schools and clinicians fear being blackballed if they use, or admit to using aversives. As a result of this fear, children are forced to suffer with untreated painful behavior disorders, to receive no education and to have no social life of any kind. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. 3. Most non-public, special needs schools that try to educate and treat such students use rewards, education and positive-only procedures. Unfortunately, studies show that positive-only treatment procedures are effective in only 60% (see http://www.judgerc.org/PositiveBehaviorSupport.pdf) of the cases at most and cannot handle really severe behavior problems . (See http://www.judgerc.org/PositiveBehaviorSupport2.pdf) .............................. .............................. ..........................................(continued in future post)

(Part 3 of 4 – continued from previous post) 12. In summary: .............................. .............................. .................................................................(a) JRC treats severe problem behaviors of special needs children and adults who have failed in every other program that has been tried with them. .............................. .............................. .................................................................(b) Programs that use “positive-only” treatment procedures expel students with really severe behavior problems and these students are often then referred to JRC. .............................. .............................. ................................... ..............................(c)JRC’s removes students from psychotropic drugs and applies a highly consistent behavioral program of positive rewards and educational procedures for an average of 11 months before considering the use of any aversive. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. (d) If rewards and educational procedures alone prove to be insufficiently effective, they are supplemented, when necessary, with a two-second shock to the surface of the skin, used as a corrective consequence for the problem behavior. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. (e) Before employing skin-shock, JRC obtains consent from the child’s parent and approval from a probate court judge. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. (f) JRC’s skin-shock procedure is extremely effective, has no significant side effects and that can be removed entirely in many cases as the student’s behavior improves; .............................. .............................. ................................................................. (g) JRC’s positive behavioral program is so effective that the skin shock procedure is currently being used for only 43% of JRC’s school-age students; .............................. .............................. ................................................................. (h) JRC’s treatment enables its students to do the following: stop taking harmful psychotropic drugs; avoid restraint, seclusion, warehousing and takedowns; avoid having to be placed in psychiatric hospitals or arrested by police for aggression and other destructive behaviors; start learning in school for the first time in their lives; avoid death or self-maiming by receiving effective and rapid treatment of self-abusive actions; have hope and optimism for their future where previous there was none; and enjoy the company of their parents and family for the first time in years. .................................................................... .........................Other Comments on the Article .............................. .............................. .................................................................1. The title page sets the tone of the article by referring to JRC as a “School of Shock.” The overwhelming reliance at JRC is on positive rewards and educational programs and ninety nine percent or more of a student’s time is spent in educational and rewarding experiences. Less than half of the school-age students at JRC have parent- and court-approved supplementary skin shock as a possible treatment option in their treatment programs. Those that do receive an average of one harmless (no significant side effects) two-second application to the surface of the skin, usually of the arm or leg, per week. As time goes on, many are able to graduate completely from needing this therapy. .............................. .............................. .................................................................2. The title page contains the phrase “Food Deprivation.” Food deprivation is never used as a punishment at JRC. In the case of a small number of students food is used, with full parental and court approval, in the form of “mini-meals” that are earned through behavioral contracts. When this is done, elaborate steps are taken to either provide make-up meals at the end of the day or to otherwise insure proper nutrition and avoid any weight loss. .............................. .............................. .................................................................3. The title page contains the word “Isolation.” Isolation is never used as a punishment at JRC. .............................. .............................. .................................................................4. The title page says “Treats American kids like enemy combatants” This statement, like the cover material and drawing, reflects an attempt to sensationalize JRC’s treatment and evidences a refusal to recognize the use of supplementary aversives as a scientifically proven and accepted form of behavioral treatment. .............................. .............................. .................................................................5. The cover page shows a child in an Abu Ghraib torture-type position on a box with wires leading from the hands. Skin-shock is never used at JRC in the manner depicted in that drawing and is never used for the purpose implied (torture). Skin-shock is used at JRC as a small part of a behavior modification treatment program, based overwhelmingly on positive rewards and educational procedures, to help save and extend lives, to take students off of psychotropic drugs, and to help youngsters turn their lives around. Students whose problematic behaviors were so great that they were expelled or refused admission to every other available school, and who were headed for a prematurely short or miserable life of drugs, restraint and warehousing in a psychiatric hospital, in an institution, in a jail or on the streets are, through effective education and treatment at JRC based on scientifically-validated behavior modification procedures, given hope and optimism for their future where previously they had none. To compare this with Abu Ghraib-type torture is like equating a surgeon’s use of a knife in life-saving surgery to a felon’s use of a knife in a murderous stabbing. .............................. .............................. .................................................................6. JRC has a unique set of rewarding features that is found in no other program. These rewards start with beautifully decorated school buildings that make coming to school a visually interesting and rewarding experience (many of our students have refused to attend school in the past). It continues with: an arcade-type Rewards Lounge; a “retail store” where students can purchase attractive personal items with the money they earn each week by displaying appropriate behaviors and learning; a lounge/reward corner in many classrooms; a reward afternoon once per week; Reward Boxes containing desired items that students can earn each day; a personal computer and self-instructional software for every student; frequent field trips used as rewards; healthy and nutritional foods and no junk foods and soda machines; health-club type exercise facilities; community residences with wide-screen televisions, stereos and electronic games; and an open visiting policy in which parents or visitors can visit at any time of the day or night. To imply that a program that does all this for its students and parents is similar to the Abu Ghraib prison, as the cover and text of this article does, is to perpetuate a journalistic fraud on the readers. .............................. .............................. .................................................................7. The article devotes the initial two pages to two former students whose parents changed their minds and decided to remove their son from JRC. JRC parents are always free to change their minds and withdraw their consent to JRC to employ aversives with their child. In both of the cases Ms. Gonnerman describes, the students made major progress while they attended JRC (a fact ignored by Ms. Gonnerman), and were removed prematurely before their treatment had been completed. The overwhelming majority of JRC parents have been extremely positive about JRC and thankful for the changes they have seen in their children. The fact that the first two pages focus on two former parents or students who have no verifiable evidence that the JRC program caused them any harm is further evidence of the bias that pervades the article. .............................. .............................. ................................................................. 8. “To change their behavior, he developed a large repertoire of punishments...” Here, as in the article as a whole, there is a failure to give adequate space to JRC’s innovative and wide-ranging use of rewards and educational procedures, which is the background against which aversives are introduced, if needed in some cases, as an occasional (once per week, on average) supplement in the programs of a minority of our school-age students. No mention is made of the fact that all of these aversive procedures were parent- and court-approved. .............................. .............................. ........................................(Continued in future post)

And for a fully formatted version of the above response to Ms.Gonnerman's article, please see http://www.judgerc.org/ResponsetoGonnermanArticle.pdf Matthew L. Israel, Ph.D. Executive Director Judge Rotenberg Educational Center

This is a disgusting practice

Tale of Twin Brothers I have identical twin brothers and a daughter with autism. I am also a practicing psychiatrist who specializes in autism. One brother banged his head into sharp corners requiring surgery. He was in the hospital for five and a half months and despite having a staff member present with him around the clock he continued to need repeated suturing for repeated head banging. This all occurred despite a cocktail of five medications with their adverse effects of obesity, tardive dyskinesia, loss of ability to verbally communicate, drooling and excessive daytime sedation. The board of education told my mother that no educational facility would accept my brother and she was requested to waive his right to an education. Furthermore, the medical insurance was running out and my parents were told they could be held responsible for hospitalization costs. I remember my father wondering if the hospital could take our house. However, through my mother's physician she was informed about the Judge Rotenberg Center. He has been there for nineteen years and doing quite well on no medication. We have taken him on trips to other states but to all those positive behavior only enthusiasts when my brother was in the hospital, WHERE WERE YOU THEN? My other brother was functioning quite well and as an adult had a full time job for three years without any medication and was travel trained. He moved into a New York State OMRDD (Organization of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities) funded agency residence while holding this job. Well now he is obsessive with setting fires and has tried to set a peer on fire. He is frequent flyer in the hospital and has failed positive behavior supports with functional analysis and about fifteen medication trials but not without having obesity, tardive dyskinesia, sedation and seizures from them. This is the story of his current hospitalization: He was upset a staple was out of place on a chair, but after being reassured appeared calm for about fifteen minutes. Then he ran out and into the traffic and punched a stranger accross the street who wanted to call the police. Speaking of police, I just evaluated a girl with autism who is terrified of police. She wasn't afraid before her New York State public school called the police after she threw a chair but not at anyone. The police threatened her with pepper spray, handcuffed her, put her back in a squad car alone and told her to keep her head down and not move. So this is the way New York State handles agitation in an autistic child. Speaking of agitation, my parents are now quite agitated that they were told two days ago that they may be responsible for my brother's current hospital bill as the insurance is running out. His OMRDD funded residence is not comfortable taking him back. Perhaps one of these positive behavior only enthusiasts can take him home. I suggest this positive behavior enthusiast may sure his or her smoke detectors are functioning so between the positive behavior support and the smoke detectors we can be sure at least one method will work. However, if positive behavior only enthusiasts do not want my brother around can they at least help my parents pay his hospital bill?

My child attends currently attends JRC. My child was in a mental hospital for a year and a half waiting for a school that best for him. His IQ was low and he had behavoir problems. I gave permission for the Board of Ed.to look outside of New York. Low and behold they presented JRC. I have tried the GED myself. And its not that painful. I would much rather use the GED than to have my son spaced out on drugs. That's not living. Of course, my son doesn't like it. What child would? That's only natural. Children complain when it comes to disipline. I just want to say that I read this articile. Please don't believe everything you read. If the school was half as bad as this article makes it out to be I would've taken my child out of it a long time ago.

Just read with horror this article and related comments after sent word of this from relative with Flordia's Agency for Person's With Disabilities. Am appalled at what I have read. Why are the Regulatory Agnecies of MA not acting upon this in-humane treatment of patients? Where is the Department of Justice? DOJ shut down a MR-DD State operated facility in Indiana after reports and findings of patient mis-treatment. The Indiana findings were in no way as severe or restrictive as those noted in the report on JRC. As many commented, prisons do not treat even the worst criminals in this manner. Having worked throughout my career with Developmentally Disabled I understand how difficult it can be to treat our most challenging citizens, BUT this is unacceptable to me. Health care professionals are all taught Cardinal Rule #1: First DO NO HARM to the patient. Obviously, someone at JRC has forgotten that.

you folks only see Matthew Israel's school you don't see that his methods have been used in public schools. in the 70's and 80's special ed bd classes used many of his methods. now some of us get to try and live with the abuses. personally i would love to see Dr. Matthew Israel subject to his own work.

Personal feelings and emotions have no place in the life of an individual who is mentally or physically impaired. The facts are as follows: Research has demonstrated that positive behavior supports and medication management are only sufficiently effective in some individuals with life-threatening behaviors. The children placed at the Judge Rotenberg Center have all been through an impartial court hearing presided over by a judge, have been represented by a lawyer and the parent or legal guardian has consented to the proceeding. I received the 2000 New York Medical College Award of Academic Excellence for my research in this area. I have posted elsewhere with respect to my identical twin brothers who have compulsive life threatening behaviors unresponsive to medications and positive behavioral interventions only.

I read with dismay the article written by Jennifer Gonnerman regarding the disciplinary methods employed by the Judge Rotenber Center, commonly known as JRC. I found her article to be unbalanced and rather a knee-jerk reaction to a very complex process. Her article was also written out of context. It contains emotional rather than factual solutions. I have a first-hand working knowledge of JRC because I deal with JRC almost on a daily basis and have done so for the past 4 years. I am a court-appointed attorney who is not employeed by JRC or the Trial Court system. I am completely unbiased and work only for myslef and in the best interests of the students that I represent. I found her story to be completely lopsided. Very little attention was paid to the positive aspects of the program but rather emphasized the negative aspects of the program. Following suit were the bloggers who probably never even visited JRC or had any working knowledge of its methods. If the aricle had been writted on a more positive note, bloggers would have in turn responded in a more positive fashion. My role is to assure that the behavioral treatment plans are appropriate to meet my students/client's needs. If there is a provision which is overly punitive than that provision is addressed and the applicable punishment is removed from the plan. If no middle grounds are met then several independent doctors are obtained and the independent doctors will also evaluate the treatment plan. The student also has some input into their treatment plan and allowed to make reasonable requests. Therefore, students are given the GED's after much forethought and planning has been established. The treatment plan must then be approved by Judges of the Probate Court system. I have yet to hear a Judge condemn the program in it's entirety. That is because the Judges have witnessed such overwhelming improvemnets and turnarounds that it almost boggles the mind. When I first meet some of my students they had to be kept apart from any human contact because of their agressive and dangerous nature. Some must be protected with staff personel around the clock. They are not able to matriculate into a traditional classroom setting. Some of these students have stabbed others or themselves with sharp insturments, some have set fires and I had one student who once head-butted a pregnant teacher. The list goes on and on. I might ask is this any way to exist? These students would never be able to socialize or be educated within the traditonal system. I have seen students who were restrained on a full time basis but whom after the GEDS were applied are now able to lead full and productive lives, are educated, have jobs and families. Without JRC these students would either be jailed for the rest of their lives with litte to no education or given a cocktail of the most potent drugs known to society. With the medications they usually suffer from the effects such as trembling, drooling, sedation, low white blood counts which is ofter fatal and many other side effects including diabetes and heart failure. I admire the fact that JRC will accept students who no other placement will accept. Without the JRC program where would these children go? Even without the use of the GEDs this is a highly structural and organized program that is dedicated to the turning around of some of the country's most worst behaved students. As the student's behavior is improved the Geds start being removed. Remeber, it is the decision of the higher functioning student whether they get an application or not. To behave appropriately means no applications. The decisons is theirs. In conclusion, Ms. Gonnerman reports other less structured disciplinary programs that are allegedly successful but I see no examples, data or articles documenting other behavioral approaches. She also states that students would rather be in jail than at JRC. This statement raises some red flags for me. In jail or DYS there is little education, the children don't have much of anything to do and there is little structure. I find that the more unstructured a setting is the more the children like it even though it is not in their best interest. I think Ms. Gonnerman should revisit her story and write a more balanced and positive viewpoint of this school. She should keep in mind that JRC has rehabilitated vast numbers of aggressive and violent children. Also, all the planning and different stages of the treatment plan can be viewed on the JRC website.

I hope all people reading this know that there is a social change movement that is led by people who have experienced the mental health system, dissident mental health professionals, family members, advocates, attorneys and more. Since the first psychiatric institution there have been reformers, including organizations of survivors of the mental health system. There have been organized groups at least since the 1700's. The biggest increase in organized groups was in the 1970's, inspired by the civil rights movement and other social justice movements at the time. This movement -- sometimes affectionately called the "mad movement" -- is diverse, but we are united by a belief that empowerment, self-determination, freedom, justice all play a role in SUSTAINED recovery. I will keep this very brief, but my favorite mental health movie is now Al Gore's INCONVENIENT TRUTH. Why? Our society likes science, well the numbers are in. The data has been crunched. The studies are done. And what is called "normal" is DESTROYING OUR ECOSYSTEM. What is called normal is destructive. The ultimate response to child abuse such as exhibited in this school, is to point out what Martin Luther King, Jr. did over and over again: That to be "maladjusted" as psychologists call it, is healthy, and in fact necessary. In other words if the "normality" these chldren are being tortured into is so great, why is this "normality" wrecking the planet? I direct a nonprofit, MindFreedom International, that is one of the totally independent coalitions in our social change movement. Check us out at http://www.mindfreedom.org. We are currently launching what MLK, Jr. called for 40 years ago: He said over and over there ought to be an "International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment." MindFreedom calls for criminal sanctions against the bizarre violence against young people found in this unit, and also the abuse that is done in so many other ways in other units, such as force and fraud via misuse of psychiatric drugs. Truly, it is time for those who care to have a deeper position on mental health greater than "more money." Calling for more money for systems like this just makes things worse. Go deeper: Quality, empowered, humane alernatives to the current mental health system need more funding. Let's here from the voices of people who have experienced the mental health system. We now have a campaigned called "Youth Voices for Choices" to hear from youth who have experienced the mental health system about what THEY feel would help them achieve sustainable mental and emotional well being. Again, you can check this out at http://www.mindfreedom.org. Everyone, it's time to join another movement! Every human being -- because of our uniqueness -- is part of this movement, the mad movement, MAD PRIDE! Sincerely, David Oaks, Director, MindFreedom Internaitonal http://www.mindfreedom.org

By the way, "Antwone" from the article is now attending a mental institution in which he is doped up with psychotropic meds to keep him "manageable". Is that the answer? I think not!

One more thing. If you read this article, DO NOT just toss it aside and feel a little bit bad. Even worse, don't assume that somebody, somewhere will take care of it now that it's been published in Mother Jones magazine. DO something! Write letters to the editor. Post your own comments here, for a start. Then search the net and join up with others who are fighting for human rights in the field of mental health. Mindfreedom.org is a good place to start. You'll find lots of others. Now that you know what's going on you have a responsibility to DO something about it.

This place is no different than any other hell hole for children of any age. The main idea is to DRUG these kids to oblivion then send them home so they can express their madness due to violations and blunting process on the rest of the family who by the way deserves whatever they get for throwing their children into these poison pits. If the parents/parent had any compassion and love for their child they would seek caring treatment plans that will not damage, deform or destroy the young person being punished and labeled usually for life. No wonder they end up in jails and committed..who wouldn't after being denied simple things and zapped with devices made to harm humans. How many people have been murdered by the police with Tazer Guns and what ever brutality is thrust upon them? I can't believe there are so many SELFISH INDIVIDUALS having babies and throwing them to the dogs for experimental purposes.

It is tragic that this electrode-based intervention is considered "treatment." There are numerous strategies designed to manage aggressive behaviors through interpersonal connection - rather than coercive, punitive measures as described in the article. Of these more effective strategies, some will be highlighted in the upcoming October conference for the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry & Psychology (icspp.org). Anyone truly interested in understanding and treating disturbed youth should attend.

REGARDING A DISTORTED PIECE OF WRITING AND OVERT OMISSION OF FACTS, CLEARLY BIASED TO SENSATIONALIZE FOR PERSONAL PROFIT AND GAIN — WITHOUT REGARD TO THE FAMILIES WHO GIVE OF THEIR LIVES, AND TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO GIVE OF THEIR HEART, TO CARE FOR THESE VERY SPECIAL NEEDS HANDICAPPED CHILDREN. I am a speech and language pathologist and audiologist who entered my profession before the birth of my handicapped identical twin nephews Matthew and Stuart, and have worked more than 30 years with special needs children and adults. We must not dilute the issue. We must be certain that a given treatment of last resort for a given condition is made available to those identified who require it. In the case of a self-mutilating, self-blinding, child with a compulsive, self injurious behavior--SIB as it is known in the medical community—where all other interventions have failed (medical, behavioral, chemical, physical, etc.) we must utilize the treatment of last resort. We cannot allow that child to blind himself, cannibalize his own body parts, or excoriate himself to death. I know of no one who has worked with my sister’s identical twin sons Matthew and Stuart, or has known the inexhaustible sufferings of our family, that has voiced opposition to the use of aversive interventions -- the only therapy that has kept my nephew Matthew alive. On the contrary, they emphatically supported these interventions. There are syndromes in which an individual will compulsively eat off their own fingers (Lesch-Nyhan syndrome for example) — and even when restrained they will chew off their own lips, rip out their own fingernails or even pull their own intestines out of their rectum. The professional nomenclature defines stereotypic movement disorder with the sub-class of severe self-injurious behavior (SIB), obsessive-compulsive behavior, and oppositional defiant disorder. Although not commonly known to the general public, there is legitimate, documented, unbiased, medical information available about these conditions and syndromes and their co-morbidity. Some individuals with these rare, but known conditions, like my identical twin nephews Matthew and Stuart, will engage in acts so horrific they are incomprehensive to people like ourselves. Repeatedly, my nephew Matthew smashed his head into sharp pointed or spiked objects, and finally, strong enough at the age of 16 years, he successfully impaled his head on a sharp point and split it open—necessitating a 5-1/2 months hospital stay at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He was kept barely conscious on multiple drugs and guarded 24 hours a day one-to-one, and yet he re-split his head smashing it directly on the wound and requiring re-suturing. He managed to run into the isolation room of a patient with a deadly contagious disease. And a teacher sent to his room refused to return after just one brief interaction with him—when he grabbed her head and attempted to slam it into the corner of a wall. Although he could be discharged after surgery to repair the gaping hole in his head, no one would take him in fear of his self-mutilating and deadly behaviors, and he languished in Lenox Hill Hospital those many months. Matthew had no education—he had no life. On the contrary, the adverse effects of the psychotropic medications he was forced to take—the writhing movements that he endured—distorting his mouth, face, body, and limb, caused him to become completely unintelligible. He had been a verbal child, but for years he could not tell us his pain as the drug-induced dyskenias contorted his mouth and face. Our family members watched his tortured body and suffered with him. All of us in this family have traveled the agonizing course of waiting every moment of the day and night for one of my sister Lorraine’s, tormented and frantic telephone calls. As a professional and academician who has worked with special needs individuals more that 30 years, rarely have I encountered such monstrous self-mutilation, debilitation and suffering at one’s own hands —in the educational or medical arena. Yet there is an intervention, a two second surface skin shock inhibits the behavior, and reverses years of physical and mental damage, destruction and self-mutilation. Matthew entered Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts where such intervention is utilized to save a child from chewing off their own fingers or tongue, or blinding or excoriating themselves to death, a “treatment of last resort” when all other interventions have failed. The families of our children may, for decades night and day experience the fear of their child’s torment—and the fear of their child’s death—a slow and tortured death by self-mutilation like J.V., or an immediate death by riding a bicycle into a moving truck like K.B. Fear through the night and every waking moment of the sound of your child’s head crashing through a pane of glass, or in Matthew’s case—a sharp, pointed spike-like projection. It is a matter of public record that J.V. (whose obituary appeared in the New York Times) and K. B. are two children who died when they were withdrawn from this type of therapeutic intervention. K. B. was returned to a New York State facility and drove his bicycle off the grounds into the back of a moving vehicle. J. V. compulsively ripped his flesh to the bone losing the use of his legs and confined to a wheelchair the last year of his life, when his infections could no longer be medically controlled, as the New York Times reported it, he died at the age of about 25. If the therapy is not available to those who desperately need it, others will die just like they did. No one would take Matthew until he was accepted at Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) where he now resides. When all other treatments have failed, JRC uses the 2-second skin shock therapy, which Matthew has received to control his life-threatening, compulsive self-injurious behaviors (SIB) condition. Matthew has remained not only drug free in his current residence at JRC, he can speak clearly because his twisted and tormenting body movements gradually subsided as he was weaned from the drugs. He enjoys his hobbies, dinosaur collecting, birds, his telescope, reading, visits and vacations with his family. Matthew participates in life and tells us he is happy and safe. Stuart, Matthew’s identical twin, resides in a residence within New York State. Skin-shock therapy is legal in New York State, but it is unavailable, (which is why New York State sent Matthew to Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts). Because of the medications Stuart is forced to take to "control" his behaviors, he new suffers some of the movement disorders his twin brother Matthew no longer has. These same "drug cocktails", none of which have been approved for use in these conditions, have not altered Stuart’s behaviors, but have only complicated them. Although never having been an epileptic, the medications have altered his brain so that his seizure threshold has been lowered and he has dropped unexpectedly in the New York City subway system -- we were called to an emergency room during a 12-inch snow storm recently because he was unconscious. Despite the medications, Stuart has had multiple and dangerous New York State approved aversive “take-down” procedures. He has been handcuffed and removed from his residence by the police, and has had 5 emergency psychiatric hospitalizations in the past few years. On one occasion he attempted to hold someone's hand over an open flame--almost setting the two of them on fire. We know Matthew is alive, enjoying his life, and safe. He tells us he is happy. We have pleaded with New York State officials to have Stuart placed with his brother at Judge Rotenberg Center. As of this writing Stuart is in an acute care psychiatric facility in New York for having run out into city street traffic because (as he tells us) a string on his favorite chair was displaced. We know Stuart can die at any time, and he tells us he is miserable. Stuart, like his brother Matthew, needs life-supporting skin shock therapy. We would like both boys to be with us. We would like both of them to have a safe and happy life. There is no issue. There is no controversy. No one who has not experienced or witnessed the "Sophie's Choice" brought upon our family should presume to decide for us, or to even consider withholding the only treatment that has kept one of our twins alive. Dr. Phyllis Klein 08/26/07

Im very sure the kids are happy to be electrocuted for 2 seconds every time they try to do anything. and im sure they behave very well as long as they think something they cant see will hurt them again. funny you don't hear how it helped the victims, from the victims. it's all well and good to be abused if you cant defend yourself. Matt has again called out the dogs for this game. Problem is he is not fighting the most extreme anymore. now he is abusing high function kids; look at it Dr's. What happens when you torture a human? they learn to do what you want then when you let them go things CRACK. prison camps, Nazi torture research, the military all have had problems with conditioning through pain application once you start you cant stop. it makes the problems worse, the subjects become unstable and begin to build persona's to survive in the abusive environments. when the persona is no longer needed it falls away and you get to see the monster hidden inside. this treatment has been going on for years and now the first and second generations are adults; high function adults. who will pay when they snap? Isreal, Dr's, the state? no it will be the victims and the surrounding communities. you moms, dads and granny's sit outside and see the persona. those of us who have been treated in this way don't tell you what happens cause you wont hear. in all of us is a little fear cause we where told if we tell you what happened we will be sent back. I grew up and went to war and lost my persona's. I also lost the fear of my keepers and the key words don't work anymore. the good Dr's worshipers can howl all they wish. the truth is going to get out, the abuse will be exposed and this time i hope the fight will be finally over.

This is nothing more than the instuistions of old....the mental ward of the 1800's where mental retardation/developmental disability were not understood and violence was often perpatrated on the MR/DD people as a way to alter behavior. MR/DD people do not change behavior based on physical pain. I am just amazed that no other professionals are willing to take him on. Too lucrative?

Everybody should read Children With Starving Brains before resorting to this kind of treatment. Many kids have improved significantly with diet modification and supplements. My own son quit self injurious behaviors after dairy, especially milk, was removed from his diet and I gave him supplements of essential fatty acids. He was cured in less than a week. The milk protein casein was making him numb. Before resorting to this kind of treatment, blood testing should be done to see what kind of deficits are in the body, or heavy metals toxicity. There are biomedical treatments that work.

We should care about our children not harm them. Animals are not treated as severely as these children are. Thankfully, some people can act, despite behavioral modification, without regard for rewards or punishments.

Sick stuff, plain and simple. People justified lobotomy in it's day. Now we justify this crap. If my kid was so out of control that nothing seemed to help, I would sooner lock him up than torture him. But I'm sure many will argue this is not torture, just like Alberto Gonzalez tried to.

I admire parents who are able to love and care for the children society has deemed defective. Having volunteered with personal contact at a middle school, I dealt with students who were blind, had Aspbergers Syndrome, had extreme behavior difficulties, were retarded, were educatonally gifted, were only interested in artistic pursuits, and on and on for 80 individuals. My responsibility was to match students with appropriate tutors - future teachers - to help with the middle schooler's homework. Nearly all were successful with their homework but the most successful students engaged their tutors as mentors. The positive changes and appropriate behaviors in a situation which they attended by choice (theirs or with parental influence) were heart warming. The one-to-one relationship for one or two hours each week made a REAL DIFFERENCE in the student's lives. Nick, who chose not to speak, felt enough acceptance to talk aloud with me and with his tutor in the hearing of other students. Hector, who returned to school for this program after having been home for the afternoon because he couldn't manage his behavior for a full day, managed to speak appropriately and bring a staff member to me after being accosted by that staff for returning to the building; he didn't learn much that day but he behaved appropriately, didn't lose his temper, and succeeded positively where he hadn't before. In addition to matching pairs and supervising the program, my job was to contact parents to report good and bad behaviors, and to be positive reinforcement and a "loving Grandma." No shock involved!

I work with emotionally disturbed kids...and this article disgusted me! This is a far cry from 'therapy.' I'm going to make sure as many people as I can know about this place! We won't be quiet about this abomination!

Good piece of journalism. I interviewed at the center during my search for a career after high school (ended up writing the news ironically a few towns over) and during the interview process they spring the idea of the GED on you. I think my expression said it all and I hope they got it on camera. I was completely taken back and left feeling deflated and stupid for walking through the door. I found that the people that apply for the overnight aide positions were mostly men from the inner-city who were blinded by the $2000+ sign on bonuses. They advertise in the local paper as they are any ordinary special needs school but when you go in you find out it is a beautiful facility with a terrifying past, present and hopefully no future. Good work. You must have had to play one amazing face to have them allowed you to stay in there so long. Better than Connie Chung I must say. Honestly, I don't know how you did it, but, BRAVO!.

I Have worked in the mental health field for awhile now and I heard many unbelievable stories about JRC I interviewed there at one point and it is like a cult if you dont agree with their approach then good bye. Another place that needs to be looked into is the Pembroke Hospital it has a policy keep to yourself what you see and do...

JRC got kicked out of Autism Society of America's advertising hall a few years back. That takes some doing. Just a thought. Maybe the parents and Mr Israel should get a shock every time the corresponding student does. Bet that would take the number down real quick.

The reason the parents are so vocal in defending this institution is that if the were to admit that this school was harming their child, then they would be culpable for sending the child to the school. Since most parents believe they would never hurt their children, they have a mental block on the issue. There are none so blind as those who will not see.

It is very important for us to hear the voices of the parents of children who are in this facility. Some of them are posted here. A real problem exists for us in recognizing what are effective best practices, and then demonstrating how to respectfully apply them in the most difficult of situations. When we accomplish this, all of the supports that exist for the JRC will disappear and there will remain no ethical, moral or legal justification for it's existence. At that point in time, it will be possible to bring legal actions against Dr. Matthew Israel, personally and professionally. As a person with Asperger's Syndrome, as the parent of a child with Autism, and as the brother of a sister with Autism, I am making my voice heard as being in protest against this facility. I will do everything possible to speak out against the inhumane practices that exist there. However, I am also pleading with those of us who are promoters of "positive intervention techniques." Let us bring the knowledge together and make it effectively available. Don't blame the parents! Provide a positive based replacement that works in these severe and demanding situations that lead to parental despair. Show positive results that are reality based, and not only based in hope! When it comes to Autism, the answers lie in understanding Autism, not "combating" it. As long as we fight it we are contributing to an emotionally based war that does not generate positive results. Understand it first, then it is known what we who live with Autism cope with. Then parents and professionals can gain understanding of the complex behaviors that seem so perplexing and unmanageable. The behavior is only a physical manifestation produced by an underlying cause. Behavioral extremism cannot solve what appears to be mysteries. Best wishes! Derrick Jeffries

Here are some thoughts that parents who send their child to this center may wish to consider: Matthew Israel and his staff apply a system that focuses on behavior only, and that is not concerned with underlying causes. This very practice played a major role in the death of Linda Cornelison, a student at the center who died in 1990. Jennifer Gonnerman has provided some of the details about Linda's death, but there is more that can be learned by reading this article: http://normemma.com/lcorneli.htm Regarding the deaths of students at the center, Matt Israel makes the following statement on his website: "Is it true that five students have died at JRC?" "Yes. Each died from natural causes that had nothing to do with our use of aversives. JRC’s policy has always been willing to admit students even though they may have pre-existing life-threatening medical conditions. JRC has an excellent record of maintaining the health and safety of its students over JRC’s 34 year history. JRC is proud of this record because JRC accepts the most physically and mentally disabled students in the nation and maintains their safety regardless of their age and physical condition upon admission and despite the fact that many of these students suffer severe behavior disorders that cause them to try to inflict mortal injury to themselves. Any program that operates for as long as JRC has under these conditions will have at least some students who die from natural causes. No program can prevent that." He also makes this statement: "In 1985 a young man died at JRC while being restrained at one of our residences. The cause of death was ultimately determined to be natural causes related to his condition of tardive dyskinesia and not due to the restraint procedure that had been employed." Here is the truth for your consideration: These words are written and offered as a memorial to these BRI/JRC students. Until justice is served and their deaths given due honor, I will continue to remind people of the horrors of the BRI/JRC Robert Cooper who died in 1980 of a twisted bowel while being transported from the California BRI/JRC in a private vehicle instead of an ambulance. Danny Aswad, who died in 1981 at the California BRI/JRC, while strapped in restraints, lying face down, while not even being monitored for a one hour period of time. Vincent Millitich, who died in 1985 at the Rhode Island BRI/JRC while being punished for making "inappropriate" sounds. His death occurred while being shackled, fitted with a helmet emitting white noise, his head forced down between the knees of a staffer. The coroner reported that he died of asphyxiation. The judge cited Matthew Israel for negligence along with two physicians connected with BRI, for prescribing the helmet for the young man who had a history of seizures. Abigail Gibson, a 29 y.o. student who died in 1987 at the Rhode Island facility. She had a heart attack just three days after the center began a treatment plan of spanking, pinching and cold water showers. She was found lying unconscious on her bed at the center, and then died later at a hospital. Linda Cornelison, was a 19 year old student who died in 1990 at the Rhode Island BRI/JRC. Linda died of stomach perforations and ulcers. After losing 30 pounds in a year on BRI's special diet, and only weighing 90 pounds, Linda was in severe pain during the last couple of days prior to her death. Rather than seeking appropriate medical care, the facility instead applied more and more aversive treatments, including 57 during the last four hours of her life. As her death was rapidly approaching, she was forced to smell ammonia, spanked, pinched, and forced to eat "taste aversives" -- either a vinegar mix, or jalapeno peppers or hot sauce. The report of her death, issued by the Disabled Person's Protection Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation described the circumstances of her death as being "egregious" and "inhumane beyond reason." Some of her treatment was said to violate "universal standards of human decency. I will leave it to the reader to consider these thoughts and do your own research and comparison. You may want to ask yourself the question, "Has Dr. Israel ever taken responsibility for any negligence, and will he do so if another tragedy occurs to one of the current student populace? Read his excuses, hear his attempts and methods of controlling people and circumstances. In many ways he abuses the teachings of Dr. Skinner, who by the way, distanced himself from Israel's practices in the latter years of his life. Please read this NY Times article which explains Dr. Skinner's feelings about shocking children with Autism: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f ullpage.html?sec=health&res;=9B 0DE3D6143CF936A1575BC0A961948260 I could spend a day and a night writing about this troubling matter, but I must cease for the moment. Best wishes to all! Derrick Jeffries

This is the most horrible form of punishment I have ever read about. I live really close to this school and can't believe that it is still in operation. From the outside they make it look so nice and peaceful I am shocked at the nightmare that these children must endure daily. I have a mildly autistic son and one with ADHD and would never as a last resort bring my child to a school that abuses children the teachers and staff belong behind bars. Sick people

"I had to conclude, appalling and heart-wrenching though it was, that the shock worked when nothing else did" dejah Well yes, pain has a way of subduing and controlling people, but that doesn't make it humane or effective treatment (unless effective is guaged by less inconvenience to the staff). Humans always choose violence, when they cannot get the results they want to make their life easier. If we cannot look after our most vulnerable people in a compassionate, dignified and humane way we are still barbaric. Time to start working harder to find other methods that drag us out of our depravity. Our consciousness and development as humans is still stuck in Plato's small dark cave, only difference is now we have a computer, cell phone and pain & death at the touch of a button.

I just thought it was very amusing that Israel only cited his own website for sources, he would more than likely fail even the most basic college level research paper if those were his references. Brava sir

this is so WRONG what in gods name is wrong with this school. i have work with many autistic kids .i am only fouteen years old but i have a some exprience working with these worderfully smart and talented,but diffrent childen . to teach them that if they do something romotely bad is just terrible .there brains will not connect with the shock because they will forget and do it again . the way to approach a misbehaved autistic child is through love ,firmness and understanding . not my SHOCKING HIM and TORTING HIM.please help them .....

hello everyone my name is Darryl Williams and ms Gonnerman came to interview me and my mother and i did not tell her everything but if anyone want to know some more info please email me at [email protected] i will tell you anything that you would like to know because i have some info that could possibly shut this place down

I'm glad to see "Doctor" Israel is posting ad nauseum all over this and related articles. Matthew Israel interviewed. "JG: Have you ever used the GED-4 on yourself?...MI: Yes...JG: What does it feel like?... MI: IT'S VERY PAINFUL...JG: How many times have you tried it?... MI: A couple... JG: That was enough?... MI: Yes. I demonstrated the GED-1 for a reporter and he wanted me to show him the GED-4, but FORTUNATELY HE CHANGED HIS MIND. Must the surgeon demonstrate surgery on himself?..." WHERE HE GAVE THOUSANDS OF SHOCKS TO A CHILD: "JG: You were telling me about a time when you were giving Brandon four or five thousand shocks but it didn't work... MI: I KNEW IT WAS RISKY TO USE THE SHOCK IN LARGE NUMBERS but I had to weigh that against…If I persevered that day, I thought maybe it would eventually work. There was nothing else I could think of to do to keep him from these behaviors. But by the time it went into the 3,000 or 4,000 applications, it became obvious it wasn't working, so we gave up." ISRAEL rightly knows how dangerous psychotropic medicines can be, and takes children off them when they go to his center. Does he know that withdrawal from those medications can ALSO cause the severe side effects that he knows the drugs can cause? Both the drugs themselves AND abrupt withdrawal can cause psychosis, aggression, violence, akathisia, suicidality. In Israel's video (http://www.judgerc.org/parents_journey.wmv) it shows a bag of drugs, and there is no mention of tapered withdrawal which needs to be adjusted to suit each individual's metabolism and in some people it can take over a year. It can also be "MEDICALLY HAZARDOUS" to cold turkey off drugs and has caused the deaths of a large number of people, children and adults. IN ADDITION, it is just as inhumane to inflict electric shock pain on young people (particularly if they are suffering already from psychotropic drug or withdrawal-induced agony, which can last a LONG time and ironically can cause 'zaps'/electrical shocks) as it is to inflict chemical pain. ISRAEL uses the "drugs are bad" line to imply "electrical shocking is good" when in fact BOTH can cause permanent deep distress and lead to suicidality. It seems that 'professional' cruelty to others depends on where the most money can be made for any given perpetrator and whichever side that is, the cruelty for profit is purported to be better and safer than the other side's cruelty for profit, but it all boils down to abuse of vulnerable people. Children DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE, they have to rely on adults to treat them nicely. Israel WAS treated nicely when he was a child and wouldn't be where he was today (making a fortune) if he had been treated as RottenBerg treats children. As for the 'giving' of adults who give/abandon their children to this kind of treatment - it isn't the ADULTS that are sitting around with wires attached to them dreading a "VERY PAINFUL" GED-1 (therefore tortuous Ged-4. ISRAEL has come far since resorting to 'slapping' someone else's 3 year old child that annoyed him when he was in his late 30's. "MI: A punishment. It's a snap on the cheek with the finger; it was either a snap or a slap, I'm not sure which. And I went outside again and I would measure how long she was quiet. And I noticed: I did this a couple of times, and she would stop her crying..." (http://www.mojones.com/news/f eature/2007/09/jennifer_gonner man_interviews_matthew_israel-2.html). CONGRATULATIONS "DOCTOR" ISRAEL on moving on from slapping a toddler to electrocuting vulnerable children with a "VERY PAINFUL" shock (4,000 times in one case). WHAT KIND OF HUMAN BEING DOES THIS TO CHILDREN, AND HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH FINANCIALLY?

Matthew Slaff was on Thorazine and Mellaril before inflicting the severe self harm that led him into JRC -http://www.effectivetreatment.org/slaffcomments.htm. These 'major tranquilizers' are documented as causing self harm. According to - http://www.wildestcolts.com/mentalhealth/senseless.html - A paper published in The American Journal of Psychiatry in 1964 found that major tranquilizers ( Thorazine, Haldol, Mellaril etc.) can "produce an acute psychotic reaction in an individual not previously psychotic (emphasis added)."The Many Faces of Akathisia," researcher Theodore Van Putten reported nearly half of the 110 persons in the study had experienced akathisia. He described what happened to these people after taking the drugs. One woman started to bang her head against the wall three days after an injection of a major tranquilizer - Another, who had been given these drugs for five days experienced "an upsurge in hallucinations, screaming, even more bizarre thinking, aggressive and also self- destructive outbursts, and agitated pacing or dancing." While still another stated that while on the drug she felt hostile and hated everybody and heard voices taunting her. Did Matthew Slaff really need behavioural modification at JRC, or did he simply need to be weaned off the drugs that caused his self destructive behaviour and given the love and support of his family? His sister is a psychiatrist - Dr Ilana Slaff - and his aunt - Dr Phyllis Klein - works with autistic children it seems from comments of both of those named persons above. Did Matthew REALLY need to go through years without his family in a facility like JRC once the obvious cause of his destructive behaviour was removed or did the two professional doctors that were also his close family feel even though the documented cause of head banging behaviour etc had been removed, they were still not professionally competent enough or love him enough to care for their own relative?

I liv eand work in what I feel is one of the worst school districs in this country. I went to 20 school sin 13 years in 7 states as a child, so I am pretty confidnet when I say my area is horrid. A kindergarten teacher gets a way with slapping a child, a first grade teacher turns her back to a class room fight that gets only one child in trouble, this teacher openly professed to me she disliked the child who got punished and was hoping this would happen. A principal sexually molest a student and is not fired. A child with autisim escapes a local elementry school on numerous occasions and is almost hit by a car, the school blames the parent but the parnt intrusts the school to care for her child while he was there... She sues the school the state blows her off. This county is so problem focused it makes me wanna start a revolution!

The next logical step would be for the Bush administration to modify the behaviour of those pesky anti- war types. Maybe it could also be used to help people find the Jesus that Bush claims guides him in his decision making.

To all the parents who are as angry as I am and want to do something about this and to the "Attorney". Please email me at [email protected]. I am mad as hell and want to do something about this once and for all. We must unite to fight Dr. Israel!

unreal - can you imagine that happening here - 2007!! civilization has not yet emerged torture - right out loud with funding! big numbers! maybe this is the answer to politicians and lobbyists.

"Tortured Soul of a Mother" - please check your email, limited in what can be done from this end, but can help by posting in Europe. "VANESSA" you're right, it is worse than a jail and these children are not criminals. Its not surprising that they attack the staff really, they're suffering, they're basically alone and at the mercy of any adult who pushes a button. Employees, however sympathetic, go home each day and then have the freedom to do whatever relieves the tension of the day and cannot possibly feel what victims feel where they have no relief other than 'earning' a visit to pick a toy from time to time. Some of them can't even look forward to making it all go away for a few hours in sleep - as some of them are 'jolted' in the night. But what else can be expected by a "doctor" who started his career running a commune and slapping around a 3 year old girl when her mother went out only to discover that anyone can silence a child through cruelty. What he did NOT discover was how little 3 year olds can be taught to be well behaved by love, kindness and gentle explanations as to why she (or he) needs to behave differently. HOW TO SLAP A TODDLER THE ISRAEL WAY: (http://www.mojones.com/news/f eature/2007/09/jennifer_gonner man_interviews_matthew_israel-2.html)

Wow, I cannot believe what I have just read. What is wrong with this man Dr. Israel and our school system. I feel sorry for those parents who are sucked in to this environment of Mickey Mouse HORROR. After reading this article and comments from parents pro and con, I cannot help believe that while a poor misbehaved child is being zapped, the parents are also being brainwashed into thinking it is ok to do. Wake up! Do you really know what goes on in that so called school on a daily basis? Do you inquire as to how many times your child is being zapped and for what infractions? Have you ever looked at a recording or log of each shock? Do you monitor this at all or go by what sounds like a smooth talking, con man, reassuring every move made. It seems as if the mother mentioned in this article did learn the truth and good for her, but perhaps too late for her son and all the others who are suffering now! And what about their education, sounds like there is none, my god what is wrong with our educational system? What about their psyche, their mental problems, how can this be allowed?

My sister was an employee of the Judge's "Education Center" for several years. While there she was treated nearly as poorly as the "students". She was subjected to many of the same rules as the students such as; no talking, no sitting while watching a restrained student,(often for as long as eight hours), and no outside food,(as it could cause problems with students that were forced live on a Vegan diet). There were two times when she nearly lost her job for smoking on school property, ("school property" meant within view at any range, from the multitude of video cameras), she nearly lost her job for smoking two blocks away from work and off the clock. The training she received was minimum and poor, and she was nearly always at risk from attack from the majority of students who wanted nothing more than to escape their little slice of hell on earth. The Employees as well as students seemed to be residing in a Orwellian experiment were the snoops received slightly better treatment. All in all not the healthiest environ for anyone connected to the Good Judge Rotenberg.

If Mathew Israel had conducted legitimate research (and I believe, like Benji, that what he presents is laughable), even if it was rejected for publication or never submitted, he should be able to reveal to the public which human subjects review board gave him the okay to experiment with skin shock on children. I would bet anything he side-stepped that little requirement. By the way, I see that Israel's website cites as supportive documents that actually denounce the use of adversives. Another point: Handing your child over to "educators" for this extreme "treatment," when medical professionals would never dream of doing this to a child, seems the height of irresponsibility. It appears that Israel can avoid problems by being a school instead of a clinic.

To the supporters of this facility, stop trying to gloss things over. YOU GIVE LITTLE KIDS ELECTRIC SHOCKS WHENEVER THEY DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE. I'm sure Hitler and Stalin would love to take some cues from your program, were they still alive.

Wow this is amazing! Hurt the children when they act up, that will teach them to be great adults! What the hell is up with this? This is not making kids be 'successful'. This is teaching them to be psychotic freaks when they grow up. Maybe instead of nearly killing the kids you should do something that does not involve torture. I feel sorry for these kids, I mean, when I go to school.. I usually want to look forward to it. Not be scared to enter the mother [deleted]ing classroom. Maybe one day these parents will realize that inflicting pain on kids isn't the best way to make them have good behavior. Though i think these parents should get off their dumb asses and actually go to the school, just for a day, and see whats happening to their kids. This is psycho, this is barbaric, this is just wrong.

I feel so badly for these poor people who are being tortured. It is quite appaling. If any adult was subjected to such torture it would probably drive them mad, or at least into an animal like state. How is it possible that these children, and adults with problems that they didn't cause, must continue to suffer because of the misunderstanding of society. It is by far the saddest article I have read in a long time. What is a society worth if it can't protect the weak?

Your country is irrevocably [deleted]ed. Get out while you still can.

Sounds like these kids suffer from a lead imbalance. One simple injection of half an ounce of hot lead into the temple should fix it. Seriously, some people are just wired wrong. If you had a dog that kept biting people for no reason you'd have it put to sleep. No amount of touchy-feely hippie crap is going to set these people on the straight and narrow because their brains are simply not physically set up to act like rational people.

I'm nearly speechless. My daughter has developmental delays and hits her head and bites on her fingers, and if anyone ever told me to shock her to get her to stop, I'd be sick. I, myself, have bipolar disorder, and might have been sent to such a place as a teenager. Thank god I wasn't. I take my "scary" mind-altering medication and thank god for it every day. I'm not in a fog, and I'm not violent or suicidal anymore, either. A friend of mine in England, whose son is more involved than my daughter is, was once told if you can train a dog, you can train a child with mental retardation. As horrible as that sounds, it's true. You first find out WHY the child is banging her head or biting her fingers - it was amazing when my daughter finally was able to speak and tell me why she was so angry and frustrated, although at age 5, she's not always sure still. She just started speaking in sentences last year, but mostly, she hits her head when she's hungry or wants to do something by herself and she can't. If you can't give the child what they want, then you give them a tool to deal with their frustration. Teach them something else to do INSTEAD of the inappropriate behavior - instead of grinding her teeth or biting her fingers, my daughter is learning to hum a tune or make a little "cluck cluck" noise with her tongue. Provides similar stimulation without annoying the ever-loving heck out of the people around her. It will take years for her to learn to not hit and smack at people when she's frustrated. That's fine. I love her and I have the patience to teach her. When I was in a very different kind of treatment center when I was a teenager, I learned that actions should have logical consequences. Getting shocked for every action is not a logical consequence. Being restrained from hurting yourself IS a logical consequence. It's also dangerous, expensive to keep enough well trained staff at hand to do at all times and a real pain in the ass to do. I took down a rugby player when I was just 16 and a little bit of nothing during a manic episode. I can only imagine what a teenage boy could do when in a rage. That still doesn't mean that shocking is the answer. Having a disabled child is tough. BEING a disabled child is tougher. I'm sorry, to the family with the self-injurious twin boys - I can only imagine how difficult it was for a family with such an intelligent background to deal with the blow of having "broken" children, but trying to "fix" them was the wrong way to go. You might have tried to understand them instead; learnt to speak their language and figure out what it was THEY needed, instead of trying to make them fit into YOUR world. Maybe then they wouldn't have spent so much time trying to put spikes through their heads in frustration. See, I know it from both sides - I used to hit myself when I couldn't find the words to tell people what my head was doing to me. And now I see my daughter do the same. When someone finally took the time to ask me "why", I stopped and tried to figure it out. Sadly, my daughter can't figure it out on her own, and I understand that many children and adults do not have that capability. Those are the people that are the least culpable for their actions; the least deserving of any sort of "punishment". And yet, I still think that if treated kindly and with patience and understanding, their behavior can stop. Oh, yes, and with PROPER medication - not just a random handful of sedating pills. I'm so sorry that some parents have given up on their children and consigned them to a lonely, sad life filled with pain, fear and joylessness. As my infant daughter lay in her crib in the hospital, having seizure after seizure, I prayed to a god I only marginally believe in that if she could only experience joy in life; that if all she was ever able to do was to smile; I'd take that. She was barely 4 months old, and we thought she'd never sit up, talk or communicate in any meaningful way, walk or even move. Now, she sings, dances and runs. A bloody miracle, if you ask me. Who cares about a little head hitting and finger biting when you think about what could have been? To think, that some of you would have me electrocute the joy out of her because she likes to sing loudly in inappropriate places and say "hello" to every person she sees...it breaks my heart for you. How joyless you must be. How small your own lives must be. For those who are born to us as "less", for lack of a better word, our job, as a society, should be to insure that their lives are filled with as much joy as possible. They are going to have a hard enough time without the rest of the world getting in their way. People with mental disabilities are not broken toys to be fixed. They just are. They can learn how to get along in the world, but their families have to be willing to teach them to cope - not try to make them become "normal". I don't teach my daughter to not get scared at loud sounds. I teach her to cover her ears and leave the place where the loud sounds are. I don't teach her to not get stressed when there are lots of tall people around her - I teach her to take a deep breath and find Mommy and ask to leave. I don't ask her to change who she fundamentally is - I teach her how to deal with a world that is not set up to handle a person like her. And if she were more disabled, I'D be the one that would have to learn to handle the world; I'd have to adapt. It's ludicrous to expect severely mentally handicapped children and adults to be able to learn how to "behave" - they are simple not capable of "behaving" in the same way as others are. The most that you can do is modify their environment to help them stay calm and happy. Remove sources of anxiety and stress. Remove self-aggression triggers. Oh, yeah, that takes some work sometimes - identifying the triggers of a non-verbal child or adult. I'm sorry to tell some of you parents - having a kid with special needs is really, really hard work. Much harder than a typical kid. And if you can't handle it, that's fine. But don't warehouse your child in a torture chamber and pretend you are doing something noble. At least send them to a decent home. Just because they've shut down mentally to ignore the pain; shut down to the point that they no longer do anything spontaneous - is that good? Bah - I'm getting angry again. This place is horrid and should be shut down.

hey my bro goes to tht school and he has the tazer too. and i must say tht all this is total B.S its used to restrain kids who get so violent there is no other way to stop them. years later and i feel safer around my bro when he comes home. (he threw an extremly large fork at me once which terrified me out of my wits). now i can take on my bro if hes violent on his home visits, but he has improved so much its amazing. hes thinner (he was 180 pounds overweight) and doesnt even get violent, jsut teases ppl, and uses a cheezy vioce when he acts nice. my point is tht this whole ruckus is dumb

You are very lucky Trevor. Your brother throws a fork at you which is frightening. Your brother is not as lucky as you. He gets punished every day by cruelty in JRC when nobody who loves him is there to see it and now he behaves better because he is afraid of more punishment. That is why you can take him on if he gets violent when he comes home. When he goes back to JRC he goes back for more cruelty where you cannot see it and nobody is there to comfort him when he is afraid or to give him a hug at night when he has nightmares of being shocked. Have you got a dog? If you're cruel to the dog it will probably be quiet and very well behaved. That is because he is afraid of being kicked viciously again. It is not because the dog behaves well because he loves you and is happy. Cruelty will change behaviour. Kindness and love will too. Which would you prefer to happen to you?

A story for Trevor, but also a story for Matt Israel though it will make it easier for Israel if he imagines the puppies to be laboratory rats. .... Mr Y takes the other puppy. As we've already established Puppies need training because they have to adapt to an environment which is not natural to them. They're puppies who think and act like puppies. But now they are placed into the homes of humans who think and act like humans. Mr Y is a NOT a kind man and teaches the puppy not to bite his fingers or tear up furniture or use the best rug as a toilet, as puppies do at first, by shouting and a sharp kick in the ribs. He is consistent in how he trains the puppy. Each time the puppy makes a mess on the floor, he shouts and kicks the puppy. The kick doesn't even last for 2 seconds like GED does but it hurts the same. He then throws the puppy outside and shuts the door. The puppy at first doesn't understand so Mr Y needs to work hard and do this often. The puppy is frightened and whimpering because Mr Y has hurt him and he doesn't understand so Mr Y, opens the door, curses him and kicks him again. The day comes that puppy DOES understand that he is being kicked for messing indoors and does his first mess outside. He barks nervously to come in and hopes Mr Y doesn't kick him again. Mr Y sees that puppy now understands, but doesn't like him barking so he opens the door and kicks him again shouting SHUT UP! YOU [SWEARWORD] DOG! Mr Y goes in and the puppy feels desolate. However, he never makes a mess indoors again other than if he is sick OR if he is so frightened in the house that he can't help it. He knows he has tried to pleased Mr Y but Mr Y hurts him. Mr Y uses the same cruel methods in showing the puppy that good behaviour is not tearing up furniture, or by biting. Mr Y regularly hurts the puppy. The puppy grows into a well behaved dog, but jumps and cowers whenever he sees Mr Y looking at him, sometimes wanting to bite Mr Y to show him how it feels, always fearful of what Mr Y or any other human will do, always wanting to hide away and out of sight as far a dog is able.

Matthew L. Israel is a sadist criminal who should be locked up. And any parent who defends putting their child in this hell hole is a bad parent and should have their children taken away from them.

Wow, I was sent this link from my brother. And well, Honestly if this treatment is so easily given to children with behavior problems then why is it not stopped and given to people who have done fowl horrible crimes? Children need love and compassion and it seems to me they need to find the root of their problems not hurt them with shock treatment to get them to fear.

I worked at JRC and cannot give my name, but...this article barely touches on the real bad things that go on at JRC. I feel so so sorry for all these poor children...and Rob...I remember you....boy did they shock you more than you required. Help these poor children....close this place down...

This is just plain sick. They say it is treatment, but it is not! Treament is helping someone to an almost normal life, NOT MAKING THEM INTO STRING PUPPETS BY TORTURE. The children if they ever come out, will not be themselves anymore, because of it. I understand why the emplois flee, nobody can work under those conditions. What Israel does, is taking everything humane away from both the workers and the children/prisoners. And to even think that someone with high functioning autism is locked up there, is horrorfying. I myself am an Asperger, and sometimes have problems with describing my feelings BUT I STILL HAVE THEM. I wish for his demise, or that he atleast gets locked up. And when he finally goes down-under(deep hot south) I hope that he will get the same torture as the one he put the poor kids under. May he never rest in peace. Over and out.

To the supporters who justifies this kind of treatment: You are probably right when you say that this treatment at least temporarily restrains destructive behaviour. You are probably right when you say no one else would take these children in. You are probably right when you say that these kids are monsters who rape their siblings and set houses on fire. You are probably right when you say this treatment made your son or daughter a much more peaceful person and so you can now enjoy peace and quiet and a less worrisome life. I have one recommendation, then, that would benefit you: LOBOTOMY. If you are okay with any kind of treatment that would restrain destructive behaviour as long as it doesn't kill the child, you might as well go for this route. End of all the problems once and for all. Of course, with lobotomy your child may end up more or less a soulless, yet hassle-free, zombie, but frankly, after being treated like a monkey to be trained on this program, with all the rules and the stress, they might not even feel the difference.

Sounds like a very effective school. Do they accept Sunni?

Sounds just like what my sister-in-law uses to control her dog. A shock collar with a little poker thing, activated by a remote she carries. Just has to show it to the dog now, and it immediately submits.

I am appalled that the State of Massachusetts allows this "school" to continue to exist. If this were happening at Abu Ghraib in Iraq somebody would get court martialed but because they are children with problems and they call it "treatment" its suddenly ok? I don't think so.

Who gives you the right to treat children this way! You are not GOD.

I think it would be fair, and that most readers of this article would agree that both viewpoints must be taken into accommodation before passing any judgment. Therefor, I have contacted the JRC (the so called "school of shock") requesting clarification on this article, they sent me a link to a pdf file they wrote in response to this very article. Not that I am taking either side, but before passing judgement on this I ask you to read the following link. http://www.judgerc.org/ResponseToGonnermanArticle.pdf

Andrew, we've read it. Its an excuse for cruelty to children. Surely you can see that. Powerful money seeking people who prey on the vulnerable are very adept at that kind of crap and they've got the money to do so, and that money gives power to back it up by hiring corrupt lawyers and corrupt state reps to lobby and bribe others to carry on what is internationally accepted as CRIMINAL. Which is how sadistic prats like Israel get what is so very obviously cruel and unusual behaviour accepted even when illegal. But, really, I have a strong suspicion you know that already? A very strong suspicion. Israel is going to lose, international attention is now rapidly focussing on what any other civilized country has banned. Nice try though on your part.

Cant' deal physically or financially, Jenny H? Not even families where the two strongest supporters of JRC happen to be a well paid psychiatrist and a well paid doctor who are both relatives of one particular victim, sorry, student? So how come many children, thousands in the US and thousands upon thousands across the civilized world, survive and improve WITHOUT EVERY SEEING OR KNOWING OF JRC? How many do they have? A couple of hundred? Electric shocks in 'schools' and hospitals (other than ECT under anesthetics and under MEDICAL supervision) are banned everywhere else in the civilized world. Most people don't even know it exists. Wake up! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR CRUELTY and no excuse for people trying every which way to present it in a post as palatable. Jesus Christ!

OK Jenny, I'm sorry for having a go. If you look at the side bar by the side of Jennifer Gonnerman's brave article (and it is very brave given how corrupt people try to silence anyone speaking up) there is a links called "• Experts on Self-Injurious Kids Challenge Dr. Israel's Methods" and another link to an article titled: "• What Works for Troubled Teens?". Thats for a start which should lead to searches using relevant key words that will show many methods of helping these children. Sorry Jenny. Too many children in one tiny place (it isn't allowed anywhere else) being tortured UNSCIENTIFICALLY by being wired up to remote controlled shock instruments is upsetting.

If we really want to get to roots of this problem, we will need to consider the fact that ABA supports this type of treatment for severe situations. This is ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis), which is THE most popular intervention method currently used with children on the Autism Spectrum. Dr. Israel is an accepted member of their organization, and has in the past given presentations at their national meetings/seminars. Try googling "Applied Behavior Analysis" with "Judge Rotenberg" and see what you come up with. -----------------------------------------Also, notice that ABA was the organization that wrote up the wonderful report on the SIBIS (Self Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System), which was the first shocking device that the JRC/BRI used. ----------------------------------------I believe it would be an excellent idea for as many of us as possible to email ABA International, and ask them "Why do you allow Dr. Matthew Israel to remain a member of your organization? Why does your organization permit or even tolerate the use of shocking devices (i.e. SIBIS, GED) under ANY circumstances?__________________________There email address is: [email protected] ____________________I am also posting my letter to ABA Internation, that as of today, remains unanswered. Best wishes!

I recommend that everyone look up Frederick Wiseman's Documentary "the Titicut Follies" This kind of sickness is nothing new

Part II They have people they call "Monitors" working at the main building, these guys are people who worked their way up from a Mental Health Assistant to Supervisor, to RC (Residential Counselor), to Case Manager...they make between $15-18/hr. just to sit down at a PC back at the main building watching all classrooms during school, and all the residences, once the kids arrive there after school until they leave for school the next morning. If these people are monitoring a specific residence, and have a specific student's program in their hand as they monitor you dealing with that student, they're watching for any particular behaviors on the camera they know that student has, which will earn them a GED (shock). Most of the time, I was aware of these behaviors also, so I would just stand in front of the camera so the Monitors couldn't see the kid's behaviors...I felt bad for these kids. As soon as I did this, I would get a call from this Monitor asking me not to stand in front of the camera so that he/she could see the student, and I would be written up for it. Like I said, if you want to advance in this place, you have to give out lots of PIOs, and you have to make sure that all kids' behaviors are being pinpointed and recorded on their sheets to the T. See, they have behavior charts for all the kids, and as long as the kids' behaviors are being pinpointed, the school can show records of progress resulting from their methods, and this keeps JRC in business. As far as the teachers at JRC...it's a joke. These teachers are promoted in-house, and many advance into the teaching positions by starting out as Classroom Aides. There's no outside certification, or degree required. Most of the material these students are covering will never get them anywhere in the real world. They play lots of educational games on the classroom PCs, but nothing that will ever earn them a GED. It's a smoke-screen to show progress also...especially for the lower-functioning kids. In fact, many of the people in management don't even have degrees for the positions they're working in...they were promoted there because they had no other place to go, and wanted to advance into more $$$. This demonstrates incompetence, and the need to hire from within is to avoid paying good money to people who actually invested in an education, and have the qualifications necessary to work in those respective departments. As far as the abuse/torture goes, many of these kids that are being strapped down, and shocked, are supposed to be given a form in which they can report abuse, or whether they felt they were treated appropriately. Many are being denied this form, are never made aware about it, fail to fill it out because they can't read/write, because they know there will be consequences, or because they'll be discredited by those employees working with them. Many kids don't even know this form exists. Someone ought to investigate this... At JRC, staff/employees are usually united when it comes to covering their asses for one small misjudgment(ex: failure to check restraints every 15 minutes, denying the student water, or the right to go the bathroom while restrained, etc.), or action against one of these kids (ex: touching them physically away from the camera, or from an obstructed view, etc.). You cover JRC's ass from lawsuits, and they'll prevent you from losing your job.

Part IV For those of you who don't know, Dr. Israel use to run a center in Rhode Island, but when he tried to introduce aversive procedures into the center, he was denied the right...that's why he ran to MA. I also feel a need to mention that Mr. Israel is not only Jewish, but the actual judge, Rotenberg, who allowed Mr. Israel to establish this center in MA, for who it is named after, was also Jewish. It seems kind of Hypocritical to me how you can come from a culture that's constantly crying foul due to all the torture/genocide they suffered under Hitler, yet you give a Jew an education, and some power, and that person uses it to engage in the torture of others, in this case, innocent kids. Last I checked, even the worst criminals in this country aren't subjected to GEDs, or any other form shock treatment. I can tell you, as one of God's own, your kind were condemned by God the day your people envisioned Jesus's death. He may have been crucified by Pontius Pilate, and the Romans, but it was the self-righteous Jewish priests that wanted him dead because he didn't believe in their teachings. Your people stoned women, regardless of what she did with her own life... you pitiful humans. As far as today goes, you're still a very secretive society that's tightly-knit, and you work your dirty little deeds behind closed doors, and with the help of others who seek to benefit $$$ from a mutual relationship. You get into everything from dirty politics, to murdering Lebanese & Palestinians (innocent women & children), profit from the trading of blood diamonds, Pearl trade, etc. Where there's $$$, you people are there to find access to it...whether it's in a legal/peaceful manner, or through genocide. As a human being, I'm personally part Jewish through blood on my mother's side somewhere along the line, but I would never acknowledge such, and would be ashamed to after what History has revealed to me. I will make a point that there are many good Jewish people in this World, people that are humble, people that are always trying to do good toward others, but these people also realize that their ancestors sinned, and these are the people I admire, and have respect for. I myself know that my people have sinned in the past also, and try to educate the newer generations as to why God punished them at some point in time, just as God punished America for 9/11. Every country that has ever committed a sin against Humanity has suffered God's wrath in response...it's done through what you call "Mother Nature". Enough with the little History lesson... To conclude, I want to mention that JRC's motto is to never deny anyone admission to JRC...I'm sure you can imagine why!!!$$$

Is there a PETITION ONLINE to close down JRC? If not, Derrick Jeffries possibly with the help of Notorious Forever and others here, sounds like the ideal person to set one up judging from his letter. A petition is easy to pass around the internet and so long as its addressed to the right people and the relevant facts of the situation are clearly and logically set out it could well prove to be very effective. Just an idea. http://www.petitionsonline.com

Mr. Israel, tell me why the tax payers of the various states that send students to your school should have to pay for a Lexus for you to drive. Please also tell me what other organization would pay you in excess of $400,000 in salary that you are paid by JRC? How are you able to persuade the compensation committee that you deserve this type of salary?

There was something important that I was attempting to point out in my previous post, but I allowed myself to become distracted. ---- What I wanted to point out about Israel's learning from Skinner is this: ---- Israel basically turned Skinner's teaching to the "Dark Side." What I mean by this, is that instead of manipulating/controlling environments to bring about changes in OTHER people's behavior for the better (as Skinner attempted to do, or believed he could accomplish), he (Israel) uses that methodology to control/manipulate anything and any person to accomplish purposes that are to HIS own personal advantage/benefit. He creates an illusion that he is doing it for the benefit of the clients/students/victims and their families, however he benefits personally in the forms of power and money. He uses this "Dark Side" learning to manipulate staff members, judges, politicians, etc. He utilizes parents as types of pawns in an on-going chess match against any offensive efforts against him personally or professionally. To them, he may be seen as their only hope, their only respite. He accesses them in their states of despair, and then activates, through fear, their emotions, pointing them like weapons towards any offensive, (legal or judicial) that opposes him. He also tests his employees in their willingness to become his agents (demonstrated by their willingness to accept his methods, and by their willingness to report fellow employees employees). If he finds some that have a willingness to cooperatively align themselves with him in their desire to access and utilize a portion of his power, then he allows them to take glory in being bishops and knights in his little army of power. Power in and of itself is such a tempting thing. It is that pursuit of, and desire to wield power that clearly separates Israel from Skinner. Power can corrupt when one allows it to possess one's own soul! In my research on Skinner I see no such lust for power. He was a genuine scientist in his approaches, and a noble man in that regard. Regardless of what some may say, write, or think about Skinner, I see reason to respect him in many ways. I have no such respect for Matthew Israel! ---- I also wish to say, that I do not place blame upon the parents of children at his facility. They have made decisions in situations of despair. They have been let down by School Districts, government, and often times by society in general. The evil in this situation, as I see it, exists completely in the heart of Matthew Israel, and in those who desire to embrace and wield some small or larger portion of his power.

I understand Derrick (some of it, its new to me). I did realize Matt Israel is kind of blackening Skinner's name, but other stuff is new. The reason for the Petition request is for those of us in Europe and elsewhere outside the US, its something that can be emailed, posted on sites etc and would gather signatures of all those who are paying attention and so are outraged. Hopefully it would help some in the way that it might a. show the US that the rest of the world is watching, ergo put more pressure on, and b. help show media OUTSIDE the US that there's international outrage. I don't have enough 'knowledge' of it all to start one, but you clearly do. You might I realize be too busy, but if you DO set one up it could be an additional help in the ways outlined. You, like Jennifer Gonnerman and Mother Jones and others are very much to be commended for standing up against this kind of abuse. Wish I could contact you but also understand exchanging emails is difficult on here, not only for you but for me too - and I can't think of anyway to do that. Kind regards.

EEEEK, I hope someone will come here and remove the duplicates soon as they have before? Its too easy to refresh the page thats sitting there on the task bar and if you did a post last time you looked - refreshing posts it again :) Derrick has done it and so have I.

Derrick, thanks. Got it and emailed initial contact, but its really late here, so its just a contact. Speak to you tomorrow.

I almost wanted to send my son there!

I don't want to blow things out of proportion, but there's a saying...whatever you do comes back to you 10x fold. In this case, I would advise Mr. Terrorist himself to get out with his millions $$$ while he's ahead, and feels protected, because as a terrorist, you can only get away with torture for so long until the masses (ex: past students/victims/opposition) catch up with you. The law can protect your business by allowing it to stay in operation, but it can't protect you from all those, under your watch, that have been tortured. This isn't a threat, it's advice. You've used America long enough to profit from your torture methods. Americans and the World are fed up with terrorists. You're just as bad as Bu[deleted]ler and his 2 incompetent administrations. They seem to think they've gotten away with murder here at home and abroad, but eventually it will catch up with them also. You people have no place on this Earth, and don't deserve the very life you've been given. All people are born with Souls, but the day you conspire with other evil people against Humanity for your own self interests, you lose your Souls, and become exposed to those of US who are here to make sure your judgment comes sooner than later. Once people like you come to Our attention, the crap has definitely hit the fan, and your stench can no longer be tolerated. The problem with you clueless beings is that you never know when to give up. Go back to Israel, and establish another JRC using your current methods to see if you're accepted among your own people...I highly doubt it.

Can someone remind me why Americans are so quick to lecture the rest of the world on what nice people they are? These sadists should be locked up. What a sick country

HUMAN RIGHTS USA? THE WORLD LEADERS IN HIGH TECH REPRESSION AND TORTURE such as Electric Shock. HOW DARE SUCH A BARBARIAN GOVERNMENT lecture others on freedom, values and terrorism. There is no freedom in the presence of gross violation of human rights.

Dejah. You are a criminally insane moron. The fact that you can defend such inhuman practices places you in the ranks of the worst Nazi colaborators. Shame on YOU for being so uncaringly callous towards those that suffer from such dibilitating disease and retardations. You are the lowest of the low and don't deserve the right to call yourself a human being.

I am a board certified behavior analyst and I've been working with kids and adults with "challenging" behaviors for about 18 years.I have never had to use such aversisve techniques like this. The side effects to punishment alone are reason enough to avoid those methods. Positive programming has been well researched and proven to be effective for almost any behavior problem..with the exception of pedophilia/sex offenders. Problem is...to do functional behavioral analysis and positive programming requires well trained highly skilled staff and consistent program implementation. I know of no schools or residential programs that provide well trained staff. In many places the front line staff are not trained at all and they generally are paid very low wages. So whats wrong with this picture?...the front line staff who actually deliver the services are the lowest paid and least trained. So you get what you pay for. Positive programming is expensive and takes time to shape behaviors. However, for $220,000 (Rottenbergs fee) per year it could easily be done. Whats disgusting is that this countries pathetic schools and mental health system will pay this kind of money to torture kids but will not pay for training and support of staff who can implement positive methods. Don't blame this crap on Skinner.

To the person who stated that positive programming is effective for almost any behavior problem, almost does not mean all. While I agree that positive programming is sufficient for problem behavior in almost all persons it is not appropriate to generalize to all. Furthermore, there is no study in the literature to show a positive behavioral method which suppresses behavior 100% in 100% of subjects. In fact a meta-analysis done published in the AAMR journal in 1999 showed 90% supression of behavior only in about 50% of subjects. For most behaviors 90% suppression can be sufficient. However, my brothers have life threatening behaviors and need 100% suppression to survive. Indeed the brother for I cannot get the aversive therapy for endangered his life a few weeks ago. My other brother attends Judge Rotenberg Center. My brothers have been unresponsive to other treatments, whether a positive behavioral technique or medication, something I have rarely seen in over ten years of psychiatric practice. I am also sorry that you do not know of any schools where staff are well trained in positive programming. While this is a significant problem at most placements, I am sending my autistic daughter to a day school where I feel the staff are very well trained in positive programming as I do not feel she requires aversives. I also know of some other schools where staff are well trained in positive behavioral techniques as well. Indeed almost all persons do not but we have to individualize treatment. Also I received the New York Medical College 2000 Award for Academic Excellence for my research on medications and behavioral skin shock in persons with autism and/or mental retardation. Skin shock studies showed effectiveness and even positive side effects such as a brighter affect. Again, almost all people including persons with the above diagnoses will never need an aversive. My brothers have unusual rarely encountered life-threatening behaviors. I have only known one patient other than my brother who needed for self-injury. As far as price is concerned there are residential programs which charge up to one millon dollars per student. Actually, my brother who required 1:1 and even extra staffing at times no longer needed such intensive staffing after entering the Judge Rotenberg Center. This lowers cost. Also medication carries multiple risks such as heart disease, diabetes, seizures. Of course there are patients who do respond well to medication. My brother receives skin shock once or twice a month, but can you imagine the pain of getting surgery and repeated suturing after banging your head into a sharp wall corner?

Why is everyone upset? This institute is obviously a substitute for parents that will not spank their children. When something that has been used with success for thousands of years works, don't mess with it. If you love your children, talk to them, punish them, and above all else, spank them when they need it. Spanking! Successful behavior modification since 4000 BC!

As a professional psychologist who has worked with acting-out and assualtive children for over 30 years, I find these "treatment techniques" appaling and criminal. It is my feeling that the agency attracts therapists who are sadistic child molesters and sanctions their behavior as treatment. I would like to see a criminal investigation of this Center undertaken. Torture is NOT treatment.

Part 1: Shameful “School of Shock” Cover-up Campaign Response to Dr. Matthew Israel’s letter entitled “Outrage Over Jennifer Gonnerman’s Article, ‘School of Shock’” By Greg Miller I worked at Judge Rotenberg Center full time as a Teacher’s Assistant for over three years until March 2006 when I submitted my letter of resignation. One week after I resigned, I delivered a letter to Dr. Israel in which I protested the electric shocks, and said that I would be willing to return to JRC after the school ceases their abusive methods. Dr. Israel has repeatedly brushed off staff as “disgruntled staff” who leave JRC in objection to JRC’s inhumane methods. Jennifer Gonnerman has done an in-depth investigation of the practices taking place at JRC, and Dr. Israel is once again campaigning to cover-up the facts about his business. Dr. Matthew Israel’s cover-up response to Jennifer Gonnerman’s article in Mother Jones demonstrates that he places no value in telling the truth to the public. My fear over the years is that he has also been misinforming parents, and nonverbal students with autism are quite limited in their ability to tell their parents what is happening to them, or the horrors that they see and screams they hear daily in front of them with their classmates.

Part 3: Shameful “School of Shock” Cover-up Campaign Response to Dr. Matthew Israel’s letter entitled “Outrage Over Jennifer Gonnerman’s Article, ‘School of Shock’” Degree of injuries resulting from electric shock: Students on the stronger “GED-4” devices often show red spots on their skin after a shock. The red spots are about the size of pencil erasers that overnight develop into scabs. Students on the strong devices mostly wear what are called “spread electrodes” which is where the electrical current passes through the skin between two electrodes about two or more inches apart during the two-second shock. I was told by the staff responsible for making the electrodes that the objective for the spread electrodes was to create the maximum amount of pain with the least amount of physical damage. Two scabs may occur overnight after a single electrical shock with the strong device. Certain students with autism sometimes get up to 30 shocks in a single day, the cut-off point when shocks must stop unless the student’s psychiatrist gives permission to go beyond 30 shocks. Two electrodes times 30 shocks can potentially result in 60 small scabs in a single day. I have seen students with small bloody holes through old scabs, where the shock has been delivered on top of old injuries. While Dr. Israel in the past has blamed staff for such injuries, saying that the injuries occur from staff not following standard procedures to rotate the electrodes after delivering electric shocks, the truth is that the arms, legs, and torso may have so many scabs that there is no place left to rotate electrodes on the student’s approved areas without placing the electrodes on top of old scabs. Students with autism who are on the strong injurious shock devices sometimes have so many scabs on their bodies that the nurse orders that the shock devices be removed for five to six weeks until the skin heals up. Some students go back and forth between several weeks off electrodes while their skin is healing, to sometimes only three or four days back on devices re-injuring their skin, to going back off of devices again, in a cycle that has no end. There was nobody monitoring to see whether electric shocks were working as effective treatments for these students. The students I have seen taken off of the electric shock devices due to their skin injuries have looked pretty bad. They don’t take students off of the electric shock devices unless they absolutely must. The DMR investigator informed me that judges are aware of the skin injuries and the need for students to go onto the six-week “GED vacations” before giving the court orders for the electric shocks. Investigations by the DMR have dismissed accusations of abuse by former staff, not because the injuries do not exist, but because the “treatments” are court-ordered in Massachusetts.

Part 5: Shameful “School of Shock” Cover-up Campaign Response to Dr. Matthew Israel’s letter entitled “Outrage Over Jennifer Gonnerman’s Article, ‘School of Shock’” Positive approaches: One of the worst problems for me while working at JRC was to see the great neglect to address real needs of students at the school – the need to see selves as capable. True education is about finding one’s talents, abilities, opinions, voice – one’s self, as well as how to find and create enjoyment in life for one’s self. It takes structured effort and creative strategies to teach students who have low concepts of themselves. Dr. Israel lists the “positives” he uses at JRC, and says that electric shock is only used when his positives are ineffective. You do what I want you to do, and you will earn a piece of dried apple, or a nut, or points, or plastic tokens, or the opportunity to put your head down to rest on your hard desk for five minutes, or to go to a fancy dinner on Thursdays after which you can choose between a bicycle or a basketball or other toys. All of the “positives” that Dr. Israel lists are actually rewards, like bribes, based on Dr. Israel’s punishments and rewards model. Behind the punishments and rewards model is the belief that people on the outside of a student’s world can control and manipulate students into becoming whatever leaders on top of the pyramid want them to be. It’s not about helping students to stand on their own two feet. Perhaps that is why many students exhibit behaviors – to show that they have their own wills, make their own decisions, and can not be bought out, some of the qualities that we look for in leaders. All of us have the need and desire to gain greater control and influence over our own lives. The kinds of “positives” that Dr. Israel uses are not the same as someone teaching a student with autism step by step how to sit on a bicycle or tricycle, and ride around the parking lot like “higher functioning” students do. Where I currently work after leaving JRC, many students with autism do learn to ride a bicycle if someone actually teaches them, and that positive accomplishment is a great and powerful therapy for severe behaviors. The opportunity for positive experiences such as learning to ride a bicycle is lost when everything “positive” is turned into a reward. Likewise higher functioning students need to make choices and to develop academic abilities that they may not know that they have. Reading books at JRC were assigned to classrooms that were far beyond readability levels of students, and were not student selected. The school library was very lacking and mostly contained textbooks. Efforts by teachers to bring in books or academics to address student interests and needs could get teachers into trouble for not following the pre-approved curriculum – even if materials were in alignment with student Individualized Education Plans from their state. The human “will”: Delivering academics to students kept in isolation at residences outside of the school during my final year at JRC, students who mostly came from gangs in New York City, helped me to recognize that these students were real people with real feelings, who came from difficult backgrounds and rough neighborhoods. They needed someone to convince them that they are capable contributors to society, and that society in turn has a place for them where they can use their talents, create an existence for themselves, be in a position to make greater decisions in their lives, and have an influence with those around them. Bribing students to give up their inner wills, their internal drive, in return for video arcade games, plastic tokens, toys, nuts and dried fruits, is not the type of behavior-changing “positives” that students need. Dr. Israel’s practice of forcing almost all of his students over 21 years of age to count twelve popsicle sticks and double-wrap a rubber band around them seven days a week in a windowless room as their sole task, as well as Dr. Israel’s defense of his practice of replacing real teachers with computers, exemplifies that he fails to understand what true “positives” look like. Students at JRC are missing what is essential to regain control of their own lives and to use their lives for a positive purpose. Dr. Israel attacked Ms. Gonnerman’s article, writing that it was a “hatchet job,” that she wrote the article “for her own personal gain, [and] shamefully exploited the severely disabled JRC students and their parents.” A few paragraphs later Dr. Israel exploits a very long list of the most severe of student behaviors that he continues to use to justify his practice of shocking students for lesser behaviors, such as tearing a piece of Kleenex. It does not take a degree in psychology to imagine what kind of “hatchet job” Dr. Israel’s school is doing to young human lives. Dr. Israel does not want people to know the truth, and obviously feels no obligation to the public to tell the truth in his cover-up response. Dr. Matthew Israel’s vision of “Utopia” at Judge Rotenberg Center is one literal hell-hole for most students, and is apparently one lucrative joy-ride for Matthew Israel. One member of the community at the pizza shop across the street from JRC joked to me that he would pay money to experience pressing the electric shock remote control button and watch a student scream. If one is a sadist, where else in the entire country or world can one make a living torturing children and youth with electric shock?

An excellent and eye-opening article which I will share with others and also forward to U.S. Congress members! I found it shocking, but still balanced. If Dr. Israel is truly convinced that what he does is right, I believe he would not have felt the need to write such a long treatise in his defense!

To: LARRY HUDSPETH, Certified Behavior Analyist ---- I truly appreciate your WORDS. May I suggest some ACTION. If you are a member of ABA, please plead with your organization to kick Dr. Matthew Israel out!! --- All other concerned parties can contact ABA International at : [email protected] and express your outrage about their acceptance/tolerance of the use of aversives such as shock on people with Autism and other challenges. It is not JUST Matthew Israel that is the problem. The Association, that you LARRY HUDSPETH and other ABA proponents are members of, is a BIG part of the problem! If the Association really respects Dr. B.F. Skinner, then also respect his words and feelings about the use of aversives, including skin-shocks!

I would like to see some of these parents or educators undergo this type of thing for a month. They should be made to walk around with backpacks with electrodes attached to their skin and be shocked every time they do something "out of turn" like swearing or objecting to something. I wonder how they would react? Amnesty international states in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." (Article 5) Why is it ok to do this children because they are "different"?

Most of the comments I have seen here are completely missing the point. The guy has found himself a gig that makes him A LOT OF MONEY. It is totally irrelevant what he thinks or believes, so long as there are desperate parents out there with no options for their kids he will thrive. He is like the evangelists milking their flocks for cash, only more despicable. The article did not go into what other options are available for these kids… What do people do?? How are these kids handled in other states?? Why do the parents defend him??

If you can't get the school shutdown, get the parents they may not be personally abusing their kids but damn they are paying someones else to. As the Father of a child with borderline personality disorder as well as Conduct Disorder, this school and Isreal character make me sick. may the afterlife carry the same fate for Themm.

the horrafic treatment of the mentally ill of past years is being revisited in a country that is fast losing its soul.

Electric shock is not a behavior modifier. This facility is an EXPERIMENTAL facility (and a money maker) It's guinea pigs are our children. I can't believe the State Health Department can't shut them down. They should arrest the facility operators for assult. This is a travesty and 100% criminal behavior... but then again, look at the monkey "we" elected as Pres. We must take our country back.

I would suggest folks not focus so tight on the center; this is a much bigger thing. the Dr. has support in political arenas that make him immune to the public outcry. tracking down the political ties and snipping them off would do a far better job of ridding the US of this blight than personal attacks. this is not just one man; as was shown in the 80's he has fingers in unexpected places. the supporters of this type of behavior modification are even now quietly rallying to the cause.---------------------------------- think about it; what better Data could be collected for advancing information gathering and control of violent captives? if Electric shock can cut through the defenses of those folks who's brains are damaged or improperly formed what effect will it have on high functioning folks. now the next phase has started with high function children in a controlled environment.--------------------------- like an experiment outline. first you try the method on a small sample in an uncontrolled setting to get baseline data, then you do so in a controlled environment where you test and retest your hypothesis. evaluate the data, modify the hypothesis and move on to the next sample. the next sample happens to be high function children; soon we will get to see the results and the next sample will be adults (if in fact the govment has not begun already).------------------------------- his base line data is already a thorn in his side due to the short duration of his programming model; purely physical isolation and abuse has a whiplash effect and the programming can be broken. the logical next step is to use an aversive from a distance; in this way the victim cannot identify the person applying the aversive. nor when of where the aversive will be applied. I'm sure the Dr. would be delighted if he could find a way to remove the human staff completely so his treatment would have no face at all. this type of thing has been done with monkeys and apes; however humans are even easier. we know what a cuss word is in human. this is simply a way to extend the animal testing to human subjects. ------------------------ Again i urge you to look beyond the surface of the problem and find out who is paying for the data. follow the money trial's to the source and look on the whole nest of criminals. Oh and don't forget the Dr. spends time collecting data but does not publish the data for peer review.............who is he sending it to?

I was a student at the center for 5 1/2 years and was treated with these shocks. The public has the wrong idea as to this treatment. The shocks transformed me from a little brat that was misbehaving in school such as tipping over desks, running out of class, not doing my school work, being aggressive towards authority figurs, hurting myself, inappropriate sexual behaviors TO a person who in 2005 graduated from high school with honors and is now living on my own as a normal contributor to society. Yes the shocks hurt, but there supposed to hurt otherwise they would not be effective. People say the feel like a bee sting, but that's not the case, a bee sting feels WORSE than the shocks. The shocks are going to be this HORRIBLE thing IF you enjoy acting up simply because they prevent you from being able to do so. It is only natural for someone who hasn't experienced this treatment nor knows anyone who has experienced this treatment to cry "torture" when hearing about it. But as someone who's experienced it, my life is so much better now than it was prior to the treatment and I have bared witness to several individuals who's lives were changed for the good as a result of this treatment. Any news achor or writer who is against the treatment and samples one of the shocks will probably put on a show as they receive it trying to convince their viewers that its torture (I've seen it happen), but for someone who is reasonable and understands the treatment, sampling the shock would result in no more than their arm tensing a little bit. The bottom line is, this treatment changed who I am and if it werent for it, I would probably be locked up in either a mental hospital or worse yet, a prison.

I've noticed that there are people in here posing as former students of JRC. This is very easy to do, especially on the part of management, or staff working at the school, who want to protect their jobs ($$$), and keep the school open. It would be very hard to believe that anyone would write in here defending "shock therapy", unless they were actually so ignorant as to believe that this form of treatment should be accepted, especially by others. In your case, Brian, if you feel that this treatment was appropriate for you, that's your problem, but it's not something you should be advising others in experiencing. No matter how you package the treatment, it's torture, plain and simple. Considering that you were a "higher-functioning" student, a training school would have also worked wonders, considering most of your behaviors were controllable. When I was a kid, I did worse things than you, and I didn't need "shock therapy", or an institution to teach me how to behave. I've taken a GED, so I know from experience how it feels. All I can say is that if someone else ever got approval to use them on me, they probably wouldn't be alive once I put my hands on them. It would be very easy for me to gain a person's trust by acting normal to hide my pain, only long enough to get within reach, and then snap their neck in an instant once I had them face-to-face. The law that applies here is don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself. Obviously, Mr. Israel is ruthless, and acts fearless, because he's never been exposed to intelligent beings like myself who could play him like a violin, and strike at any time. I would have no trouble ridding the World of terrorists like him, and his kind. There's one kind of people I don't tolerate, and America thrives with them...Hypocrites. These people attract to each other like "flies on sh_ _"!!! These are people who are always giving out advice/opinions, buy/use the media to brainwash people, yet these people would never live by their own advice/opinions. I leave hypocrites to God's will, for they don't relish in their self-righteous hypocritical posturing for too long once I've identified them. These people have no Souls, and are just polluting the World with their emptiness. They tend to contaminate everything/everyone they come in contact with, and those who side with them, eventually lose their Souls also. People with Souls will always stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. If you have a Soul, when you feel something's wrong, the feeling's so strong that it literally makes you want to stand up against it, regardless of the consequences. Once you lose this feeling, your Soul has left your body, as it has with many terrorists who are running this country, and attempting to influence the World. These people need to be stopped...end of story. If we do nothing as a society to stop these evil cowards/terrorists, we are asking God to punish us as a whole for allowing them to run around destroying all forms of life for their own personal gain. We need to stop acting as an "Individualistic" society, and behaving more like a "Global" one...we're all in this together, regardless of where you come from as people.

It is a tradgey that there is no cure for mental illness, or emotionally distrubed individuals. Rob proved that this treatment is not effective, because he still diplays troubled behavior. More importantly, he was not treated as a human being. It breaks my heart to see that there are some people will never be saved from their mental disablity. They will never know what it is like to be happy or have inner peace. More federal money should go into finding a cure for mental disablities. Electric shock treatment should be made illegal not just state to state, but goverment wide.

I could picture the situation as I read this article, as though a TV movie had been made about it. Can't decide if it was more Lifetime or Sci-Fi network. Too bizarre, and sad for the kids.

Dejah: finally a person that has worked there like myself; only I worked there a number of years in the office in Canton. Great facility for these students. I was like you very apprehenisve about the school and the treatment; like you; I was told that at any time; we could ask questions and if we needed to talk about the students or what we had seen that day; that we had an open door policy. I never had to worry about my safety either and as you know the behaviors of most of the students was quite a eye opener to say the least. Still; the staff as you say managed to stay positive during the day and smile and yes; like you- they didn't have time to idle chatter; the students demanded their full attention. I just remember one staff member in particular who really impressed me; she was a staff supervisor and was well educated; she would pick up the most serious of clients in hospitals or mental institutions; with no hestitation; most of the time; she never knew what she would encounter, with compassion and tenderness; she would again and again advocate for these individuals. One time; she had bloody hands with scrathes when she walked into the school and I asked her what happened. She said with a cheeful attitude that she picked up this boy; who the parents tried to get to JRC for awhile and he was very aggressive. Again; she understood his behavior and gladly accepted the challenge. That same boy is doing wonderfully. As; I have witnessed myself; when I was there. I can't say enough about how I respect Dr Israel and his vision. The school is a haven for the most difficult of cases.

To Notorious Forever: --- You are correct in writing, "there are people in here posing as former students of JRC." I entered into an off list discussion with one who was claiming to be Darryl Williams, and it soon became evident that he certainly was not! ---- This group seems to be gifted at all types of manipulative techniques. Dr. Israel may also be the master of creating factual inaccuracies. In his rebuttal of this article in the Patriot Ledger, he claims, --- "Ms. Gonnerman discusses California student Danny Aswad’s death as though it had something to do with JRC or me. It did not. JRC had ceased its operations in California a year or two prior to this student’s death which was from natural causes." --- This is in PC terms a "factual inaccuracy" of enormous proportions!! If readers will look at the California "64 page complaint" which has a link on page 2 of this article, you will see, on page 7 of the pdf document, that a student (name blacked out) died on July 17, 1981 at the Behavioral Research Institute. I am letting you know that this student WAS Danny Aswad!! That center was DEFINITELY still under the control of Dr. Israel, and Judy Weber (now his wife). The coroner did indicate that the death was due to "natural causes," however, the "natural causes" he indicated in his report were "mental retardation" and "cerebral malformation." Please note that many people have mental retardation and/or cerebral malformations, and yet that does not cause them to die. Isn't it amazing how almost any incident Dr. Israel is involved in is somehow distorted to create an appearance of him being innocent?!

According to this article, it seems like only bad things are being accomplished by this program. Personally, I believe there are bad things and/or good things which can be done by this program depending on how this program is run. The scary thing is that a good thing may go away just because of well intentioned but misinformed people. The same thing happened with the Malaria Eradication program. "Malaria was eradicated from Brazil and Egypt, largely due to extensive DDT spraying" (ref. http://www.malariasite.com/malaria/history_control.htm). But then the Malaria Eradication started to fail in Africa because of the DDT ban. Now 90% of all malaria deaths are African children. Be careful of falling in (goose)step with the crowd.

Brian, your words seem so extreme! You may see things one way, and Notorious sees them another, and yet there may still be other options. This center is an option that some parents chose because they could not find anything else that helped. That is so unfortunate! We have a real need for an honest educational center that meets the needs of these children. It is such a hopeless mindset to conclude that this is the solution to their challenges. Without advocates on their behalf these children will live in despair for untold days, weeks, months, and year. Even with advocates they continue to live under such conditions. Nevertheless, we must persevere, for unless we consider that it could have been us as children living under those conditons, then nothing will ever happen to bring about change.

One size fits all,how many times has that failed? Even a mention of Cesar Millan brings to mind its not so much the dogs but the owners. In some cases its the training of the parents that leads to the greatest success. But I cannot say a parent who has tried everything will not end up in such a place. I can only hope they never close their minds to other possibiltes.

Honestly, after working at the New England Center for Children (NECC) for several years, the Judge Rothenberg Center (JRC) is not that bad. AT NECC most children are subjected to ineffective treatments for years, which only makes the behavior more intense and harder to reduce. Like the Guidelines for BCBAs suggest, it is better to use an effective intrusive punisher than an intervention that is ineffective yet not intrusive. It you talk about shuting down the JRC which I agree with, you need to shut down NECC first, which is a bigger crime against humanity.

Is this how we treat oue " non-perfect" children in America? This is horrible and needs to be stopped asap.

It's obvious that people at JRC have been told to blog here posing as former students to protect their jobs, and the school. Where else would many of these immigrants, with no skills, get better-than-average paying jobs for simply following terrorist orders, and shocking students? Brian, if you're truly a former student, I'd appreciate a last name, date of birth/place of birth, home address, and a phone number. You can only get away with bs for so long until you encounter someone you can't brainwash, buy, or corrupt. Once you give me the info I seek, we'll see if you're really who you say you are, and failure to comply will only prove my point. As far as you having graduated from JRC, my point that the education at JRC is nothing but hogwash is reflected in your poor spelling in every post you've made in here. You should have learned to "spell-check" by now. I worked with tons of illiterate staff at JRC, many of which were only used to speaking their native language, and had a hard time comprehending/communicating in English, nevermind trying to follow/understand students' programs. All I can say about shock therapy is that if it isn't stopped NOW, in the future, people could possibly be implanted with chips that will administer the shocks from within. Such a method would do away with the transparency of having to wear backpacks with up to 5 devices, weighing at least 20-25 lbs. For JRC to continue in operation, there have to be people in government supporting shock treatment, and using the research to come up with new methods of implementation. As far as chips go, there will be a national protest going on September 22nd over a chip that's being designed to implant in people. If you want to find out more about this, go to http://www.YouTube.com , and look up "RFD Chip".

No Videos found for 'RFD chip' at http://www.YouTube.com

My 33 yr. old special needs daughter was at JRC for 2 months Nov-Dec.2006. The experience traumatized her and she did not even receive zap treatment. Her general treatment by staff was dehumanizing and cruel. We have been trying for 9 months to help her heal. Thank you for writing such an excellent article. We are quite disheartened by the power this place has over the most vulnerable members of our society. Yes, Israel is a sadist and the parents who support him have given up hope for more humane treatment of their children. He thrives on despair.

When Gen Tallerino said "It is a tradgey that there is no cure for mental illness, or emotionally distrubed individuals... ... there are some people will never be saved from their mental disablity. They will never know what it is like to be happy or have inner peace. More federal money should go into finding a cure for mental disablities." I think he summed up the attitude that is at the root of the problem. Let's make it clear: It is totally possible to have disabilities and to be happy and have a good quality of life. The problem is services and systems that decide it is their job to 'cure' people and forget that it is their job to help people get a good quality of life. Matthew Israel's school is just an extreme example of this philosophy. In truth, the problem is not in the person, but in how we as a society and as service providers respond to the person - we are using drugs and behaviour therapies to try to 'cure' the person, then preventing them from enjoying the same things everyone else enjoys when these 'cures' inevitably fail. We need to start using person centred techniques to listen to what the kids are telling the world is important to them, find out what kind of life makes most sense to them, also to listen to the people that care about them most. We need to stop trying to CURE people, and start finding ways to help people to LIVE the HAPPY ENJOYABLE LIVES they are entitled to.

This story scares me to death. I have no alternative solution to helping children with those disabilites but I know what is being offered is criminal abuse. No matter how you spin it, it is abuse plain and simple. The one parent who bragged how "All she had to do was show her 19 yr old son the device and he would straighten up" does not have a child but a slave. What is to happen to that boy when she is no longer around to control him? Some children have worn the device for 10 years?! I don't understand how this can be allowed to continue. It's like a story of the medical facilities in the 1940's.

Dear “Notorious Forever” and “jf”: My, aren’t you both tough… picking on the spelling capabilities of a former student??? Let me quote some other posts by Notorious: “Sorry, I forgot to spell check, and left a few things incomplete, so I had to re-post this.” “Sorry about the typo, it's "RFID chip".” “I was apalled at being told during training at the main administrative building that I should write a letter to the state…” (Appalled was spelled incorrectly.) I guess you also “should have learned to "spell-check" by now.” Perhaps you need to pay closer attention to your own work and stop criticizing others so much. I personally believe and applaud Brian for his courage to not only graduate and live his life, but also for his ability to use his real name!!!! Instead of hiding behind your made-up nicknames and initials, Brian has instead opted to be forth-coming and offer up some personal insight into the school in an attempt to better educate the rest of us. Notorious- Instead of demanding he supply his “last name, date of birth/place of birth, home address, and phone number” (which, Brian, I don’t suggest you ever do) why don’t you instead confess to your own name? You can’t actually be that intimidated, could you? I have serious problems with “former” staff members who all of a sudden have some sort of epiphany and decide to now take the high road on the issue of aversives. Everyone is pointing their finger at Dr. Israel and quoting salary figures, so I am assuming that all of you (Notorious, Greg, etc.) were not paid and instead chose to volunteer your time and help these kids out of the goodness of your hearts? Notorious also chooses to bash his co-workers by claiming to have worked with “illiterate staff at JRC, many of which were only used to speaking their native language, and had a hard time comprehending/communicating in English” and again refers to them as “immigrants, with no skills,” who “get better-than-average paying jobs for simply following terrorist orders, and shocking students.” As long as you collected a paycheck and followed those same orders, wouldn’t you be part of this same group? If you both worked there for 2+ years, you definitely cannot deny that you delivered the shock treatment to the students. Why now is it such a major issue to both of you? I am betting it is because you lost your jobs along with your credibility. (Notorious, please don’t even get me started on your credibility…. I laughed at your ridiculous racial, anti-Jewish slurs when you later admit to also being Jewish.) Notorious claims: “For 2 years, I can say that I was happy with the job I did personally, and that I was able to give back by helping kids who couldn't help themselves. … After almost 2 years of learning everything I needed to know about this place, I finally came to the conclusion that despite how much I loved working with these kids in general (higher & lower-functioning), and just making sure that I was a positive influence for them, I had to leave because the people I was working with just weren't at my level as intelligent beings.” Greg Miller states that “I worked at Judge Rotenberg Center full time as a Teacher’s Assistant for over three years until March 2006 when I submitted my letter of resignation. One week after I resigned, I delivered a letter to Dr. Israel in which I protested the electric shocks, and said that I would be willing to return to JRC after the school ceases their abusive methods.” From the tone of your post, can I assume that they haven’t been beating down your door and begging you to return? Notorious claims to have left after discovering that he was the smartest person in the organization, NOT because he had issues with aversives. First of all, I would bet my life’s savings that he didn’t choose to leave, he was fired. I would also challenge Notorious to compare his own education with that described by Dr. Israel in the transcript of Jennifer Gonnerman’s interview. Greg does say he left because of aversives, but again I would have to say that I bet there were other issues involved. If this is truly such a horrible place with such incompetent leadership, why would you work there for three years and then effectively beg for your job back once they met your demands? What happened? All of a sudden a switch flipped and this treatment is suddenly wrong? Oh yeah, you can’t collect a JRC paycheck anymore. … That might explain your change of heart. I hope that you spend as much time looking for gainful employment as you have spent replying to these blogs. Better yet, why don’t you pursue further education so you can become more knowledgeable and open-minded? Enjoy your 15 minutes in the sun…. It certainly won’t last!

You should be ashamed of your self to print such false information to get readers. Most readers of trash that you write like the sensationalism of the story and we all know that negitive press sells. If you ever walked in the shoes of the children and parents then you have the right. You people that believe JRC is barbaric are unfortunatly the most ignorant in the world. SHAME ON YOU THAT YOU WOULD THINK A PARENT WOULD WANT THERE CHILD TO GO THROUGH THE LIES YOU PRINT!

Hey "Dorothy"-did you not read this article-it clearly states that former students of JRC were interviewed as well as parent-I myself was one interviewed-you talk nonsense trashing a really great journalist-she wrote what she discovered-pure and simple-not all parents at JRC feel the way you do-shame on you for not reading between the lines and think you represent other parents feelings-stop dreaming

I am of a different mindset than many. If a low functioning autistic child is inherently violent and self-inflicting, then it is likely that a demon is involved in the dumbness and violence. In a worldly sense, electric shock therapy would drain the flesh of motivation but not remove the offending spirit which only God in Christ Jesus can do. As for higher-functioning autism, the solution ranges from better understanding neurochemical matters to improving our educational system so that it is not so linear and capped for each grade. A student functioning in math at a collegiate level while failing ninth-grade english should have the option of taking remedial english and college level mathematics thereby reducing tensions and anxiety and the varied social atmosphere may benefit the student as well. Children put into these facilities only to spend the rest of their lives shocked, depressed, inert, or with only a spark of humanity left in them...that is a crime and Dr. Israel will answer to God for it one day.

I think the staff should be send to school and learn appropriate ways to deal with behavioral issues. Electroshock should never be used unless psychiatric help and medication has not worked. even then is is a last ditch effort and should not be applied for any duration of time. These staff people need to be charged with child abuse and send to prison. How can they live with themselves inflicting such pain on helpless, sick children? How would they like being shocked like that I wonder. This is EVIL, and I cannot believe this school is still open.

Chris...first of all, you're a moron, so even the slightest post I make in your direction can be a little challenging to understand. If you were intelligent, and read everything I mentioned, after having worked at JRC, you're not entitled to talk about JRC's practices or policies (signed a form upon hire)...reason for my anonymity. As far as my spelling, it happens, although rare...and no one is immune, but the main point of all that was to uncover the fact that Brian's possibly a current employee of JRC trying to defend the school. Many of the current staff/management come in here posing as either former students, or family of current/past students, to sway public opinion, yet their is no proof that they are who they say they are. At first, I stated that I worked there almost 2 years, then I stated 2 years, and now I'm stating that it was less than a year and a half. If I give an exact timeframe, it's easy for them to go into their database, and find out who I am. As far as my separation from JRC, I was let go, not because of wrongdoing, but because my presence was constantly a challenge to the "status quo" of how the center was being run. I was a threat due to constant complaining of JRC's policies/procedures, loopholes in student programs (ex: placing of the same behaviors in different categories in different words, which would allow those behaviors in a different category to be treated with a "GED", if staff interpreted it as such), treatment of staff/students, conditions of students at school/residences, etc. I was never one to be quiet about everything I saw going on. I constantly socialized with students, which was prohibited, and gave them advice when necessary, to prevent having to administer a GED during my watch. Also, many times, I even placed myself in front of the camera when I knew students were going to exhibit behaviors in which I would have to administer a GED. I was always consulting with other staff also on the working conditions. Conditions were horrible not only for the kids, but for the employees also. Employees were constantly being placed in situations, with potential for disaster. Some of these situations included: understaffing a residence (more students vs. staff, especially in high risk residences), by placing newly-trained staff in charge of multiple students (which allowed for constant manipulation by the students, and possible life-threatening situations), etc. I didn't work there for the money, because it wasn't much. I would rather be homeless than have a career at a place like this. I worked there for slightly over 1 year just to study human interaction at this place...considering I had already heard horror stories about JRC, and its director, while he was in Rhode Island. Before I went to work at this place, I wowed to God that I would do my best simply to help those who couldn't help themselves, and never to take advantage of anyone while I was there, and I can say that I left happy with the impression I left upon all the kids/students I had the opportunity to work with. Working there helped me to identify with some of these students, and the more I worked with them, the more I recognized my conditions, which have never been diagnosed/treated. While I was there, I had to administer a few GEDs, but mostly for being attacked, but unlike many staff there, I was never trigger-happy to administer one. On the few occasions that I had to administer a GED (ex: because in the presence of other staff, or because I couldn't cover up their behavior). In these instances, I felt remorse, and even administered a GED to myself using the student's device while I had it off of them. While working there, I discovered all the horrors of this place, and I can say that I'm "Shocked" that this place has been open for as long as it has. What's amazing of all is how only the state of Massachusetts has allowed this to happen, yet many other states conspire with this state by sending students there. Finally, Chris, never judge those of Us who have the "cajones" to investigate things for ourselves, rather than sitting back and criticizing those who do. How can you have the audacity to judge Us because we're willing to go a step further and condemn this behavior by exposing it? Don't ever judge God's Chosen, you might condemn yourself in the process...

Having been a professional using behavior modification with out of control young adults there is one major maxim in the process: punishment is only used as a last resort to interupt behavior that is dangerous to self or others - that punishment is NEVER hurtful or injurious - it usually consists of time-out or removal of a privilege. The whole thesis of behavior modification is to reward good behavior and extinct negative behavior by ignoring it (no reinforcement). The approach is time and staff intensive but the changes which result are permanent and positive. The field requires an assessment period in which the target behaviors are listed and baselined. The behaviors are listed in priority order, never trying for more than one or two at a time. These are charted and graphed. The approach requires consistency from all staff involved. We also included the child/patient and all other interested parties in the process, identifying the target behaviors and the methods used to reach the goals. In this way all individuals, including the client is in agreement and cooperates. We also had monthly meetings to determine progress and offer any changes necessary to the plan. This was successful in more than 80% of the cases we worked with. It is unfortunate that many people claim they are using behavior modification when obviously they have absolutely no understanding of the science.

Where is PETA when you need them? If human beings aren't going to help others, we need people that are willing to help animals. America gets upset (understandably) about dog carcasses buried in the yard of a football player but can't find it in their hearts to do something about this wicked place? It is the "caregivers" that need a dose of shock and not these children. And the 39 year old resident -- a supposed success story -- that still has shock boxes on her legs? It seems her treatments haven't worked. Heartbreaking. thank you for doing the story. What else can be done?

This facility is a butcher-the-mind-and-then-reconsturct falility. I was somewhat disapointed by the fact that they did not have any psychiatrists, but then it occurred to me that the 'kids' in this place are beyond conventional help or so a planle of experts has deemed. It is a sad situation none the less but this place would not still be open for all of this time if they were not getting possitive resultes, at lest in some cases. Also note that our little protagonist still acts the crazy, even after receiving additional psychiatric treatment, that we must assume the parents sent him to afterwards. Moral: unfortuantly not everyone can be saved.

From our own experience, the special needs school all need to be overhauled and the public school an embarrassment. We have found when your child had an ld, they are completely misunderstood, incorrectly labeled and the parents are blamed for all of it. People w/ degrees, supposedly in charge, misuse their authority and are mere bullies. I have found it is never about the child's needs being met as mandated by law. I have spoken w/ parents who are pleased and to those I have inquired what other programs or methodologies they are aware of and I mostly get a blank stare of the inquiry of cost.... they don't get it, most likely don't know what their child needs and so it works for them. They can now work, put food on the table, socialize...live. The parents that wholely dig in to help thier child, emotionally, intellectually, spriritually, socially, etc.. is deemed lots of things and given inaccurate labels. When is it wrong to do all you can for your child to ensure they become happy, well, adjusted adults who give back to society rather than be a drain? The world is screwed up! I can tell you, I took a parenting course too and I thought I was pretty well put together in that area~ wrong!! so much to learn and to practice....I have two wonderful children, thank God, the oldest works quite a bit, is in college full time and seems to be happy socially & checks in each day & night to let me know where he/she's at... that one is my mouthiest, you'd consider the freshest one!! doing pretty darn well! Our youngest has ld & a wonderful spirit, personality,sense of humor and is so compassionate... such a good kid that he/she was ignored by the school system. The subsequsnt schools attended; in my opinion, took the money and did the least they could. We have paid upwards of $68.00.00 yearly that we don't have; we have relied on family members as well as our salary. Still, our child left several school. It's been a waste of money and time. Our child arrived home without any energy, nutrition completely depleted because of junk food & the stress of being away from home and the grueling schedule. We were thrilled to finally have this child w/ like peers; only to observe how so many of the kids came from homes where most of the parents were absent for various reasons, the students didn't have many vistors and didn't go home for visits. I was there 1x every 3/4 wks.. I made & brought snacks for big play off series for the entire dorm ( 60 students ), etc..From 4 hours away tried to help my child w/ socialization only to realize it was not an option..nobody helped with that, they left my child in the dorm room. All they had to do was make it easy a few times in the beginning; no kid wants to be left all alone & it is a well known fact of people with language deficits. I recieved a call letting me know that space was filling up fast and tuition was due. ( each year we attended there were many extra beds!) I said, we're not returning, some small talk... I was not going to be disrespectful or hurtful; the program is not all bad, it's just for over $45,000.00 I expected a whole lot more! This person stated to me, " Name was pretty determined to keep him/herself isolated." HELLO!!!! Now they are placing blame on the child!!! They failed and I'm not a fool! There were many reasons my child was not comfortable, stressed in classes, really needed one to one, school does not offer that, so suffer! Then socially, one child at age 16 was found to have 4 1/2 gallons of vodka and was suspended!( his parents later removed that student from the school for a lack of supervision, they were horrified to think someone could have died!) Other students were smoking cigarettes, pot, other recreational drugs and having sex along with & I'll quote a long time, supposedly well respected faculty member who was in charge of discipline, he stated, " we know some of the students have knives in their rooms and when we find them, we confiscate them." Not good enough for me, my child had told me of the knives. I had not brought it up to the staff as I was sure my child was trying just anything to get me to pull him /her out as he/she was truly unhappy and struggling.My child had spoken the truth! WOW! The liability, the bs! It' unreal what people will do for a dollar! The education system is just like corporate! my opinion is that our children are too precious for this nonsense! Too many people out there waiting to take down your family on their terms; their only interest is $! What I learned in that wonderful parenting class is so basic albeit profound; " Respectful communication is key" if you treat your children w/ respectful communication and unconditional love from the moment they are born, you'll enjoy your children as much through the teen years as when they are small, sweet & innocent. In our society we treat strangers better than our own children! Would you say to a person in the supermarket, " Go Ahead,s ay it again and I'll smack you?" Or to your neighbor or school teacher, you look fat! Or don't look at me like that... more than likely you'd respectfully ask, is somethign bothering you or did I say or do something to offend you? Why is it that our children count less than other human beings...I ask all those parents who signed those waivers allowing the school and its' staff members to shock their children; did they try it out first? Do you think the staff has the same amount of desire to see your child be successful as you or is it their job, just a job? Did God put those children in your care? From my experiences, it is never too late to turn around; there is help out there. Admit your mistake, you were coerced by a bad system, being anew! Today is the first day....Shut that school down....my opinion is it isn't a school at all, just teaching hatred, anger!!! WOW and this is legal... If you punish your children and say "because I said so" you're disrespecting that child, they don't get the why and they'll be angry and they will learn to punish you, they learn retaliation; you are bigger & the bully and so when they are bigger you'll see them bully others.... Where is Oprah or Bill O'Reilly now, the movers and shakers, the people who command attention & have the ability of millions to know the issues at hand? Why do we need to know of Vera Wang's clothes line for regular salaried people when chidlren are being abused right here in our own country, legally? Or is it? It's absurd. Our justice system allowed oj to walk, if my child were shocked only one time; I'd be inclined to blow up the school and take my chances to walk away! This world is completely upside down... Parents listen to your own instincts, it's the hardest job you'll ever have and when your child is different;you'll never be so alone in your life with everyone judging you!!! Take note; they are not the judge; God gave you these children... do your best... shocking is abusive torture. You are creating bigger animals than you ever thought possible and at the very least suprresing human beings....who no doubt needed understanding, compassion, connections, unconditional love and knowledge & skills to cope..How did we ever get to where this is an accepted method to reach children? I'll keep these people in my prayers and I'll forward this to Oprah adn Bill O'Reilly.

Horrifying. I can't believe the courts have allowed this to go on. This is clear abuse of disabled children who can't speak for themselves.

oh, I almost forgot, one more thing, Can we sign up our sped directors for a lil zap? How about that, selective zapping, if you can do it to special needs people for behavior modification, I know of plenty more who could use it.

Dear Jennifer and others who have worked to write this story. To go into these places of such darkness is not an easy task. My heartfelt gratitude goes to you as we do. Peace and Gratitude, Margaret Bryant-Gainer

Think this is bad? One acronym: WWASP Electric shock is insignificant in comparison to broken bones, pepper spray, skin disease, etc. I'm not trying to dismiss the facility described in this article as petty; I'm just trying to paint a bigger picture, and hopefully make you guys even more angry in the process. Revolution cannot occur without anger. Excellent article; unfortunate that it won't be read by nearly enough people. Most Americans are too interested in Paris Hilton to care about something as unglamourous as this. I suppose that's why things remain the way they are. That's why parents stop the government from saving the kids, too. This amazes me because the government never seems to care about anybody who can't vote; only Senator Trudy Schmidt is attempting to do something about WWASP. I'm not so amazed at the parents' reactions to the government's intervention. Most parents are stupid and simply shouldn't be allowed to bear children in the first place. But why does the government give in to the demands of these petty creatures? I understand that this is a democracy, but is the U.S. not supposed to disregard the will of the people when human safety is at stake? If enough people protested laws against murder, would we allow that too? No. Because those are mostly adults we're talking about, and we care about them. Kids can't vote, or pay anybody off, so they're disposable. What CAN they do to stop anybody? My greatest fear is, if everybody DID see these sorts of articles, and if we even had movies about such places- would anybody care?

thank you

call me 516-672-9176

Jerry, I understand parents for residential reform (http://pfrr.org/) may have a group trying to do something.

Forgot to add that it's farkin nuts that CPS can take away my son because I will not medicate him but this place can take away childrne's meds and SHOCK THEM and people are on here posting rave reviews about the place? WTH is wrong you people?

It is so tragic that these children/adults are being treated this way when the answer is very simple. They have a toxic load of heavy metals in their body from their environment and vaccines and all they need is to have those heavy metals removed from their bodies with chelation. Heavy metals make people crazy. Hopefully someday doctors will acknowledge the truth and begin to treat these individuals as humans and begin to help them instead of torturing them.

has your country gone completely bonkers, why would any 1st world society allow this type of legalised assault, i can understand the frustration of the staff etc but hey !! you would not be allowed to treat animals like this.. so why children ?? this is not only wrong its perverse

You'll wouldnt believe my e-mail address!Iwill never go to this site again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BYE LOSERS

You can hear Jennifer Gonnerman discuss this on the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. She was interviewed last week on WINA's Charlottesville--Right Now with Coy Barefoot. http://www.cvillepodcast.com/2007/0 9/25/jennifer-gonnerman-on-the-school-of-shock/

wow...

To: Josef Lambert ---- I can assure you that some of us are doing more than just "posting comments about it on a website." --- It usually is not a good idea to make assumptions based upon one's own interpretations of incomplete information. We can all become more capable and effective within communications and relationships if we remember this very important concept. Best wishes!

yes im darryl williams just because i dont want to talk to you does not mean nothing ask mr kenneth mollis if i talked to him and ask ms gonnerman if i spoke to her to. im not going to help you so you can do what you want to do i need to get something out of this to mr Mollins contact me at [email protected] or call my mother see is home with me agan thank you

You sure are rolling back the clock bigtime over the pond. why not save the electicity and use stocks?

UMMMMMMMMM WELL TO ME THATS REALLY WRONG YET I COULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR BUSINESS FOR [deleted]IN BITCHES WHO SHOCK POOR HARMLESS RETARDS

It either this or the jews put up sniper towers in American neighborhoods.

Hear hear Dr. Mengele ... oops Israel.

I think this is digusting and sick. These are children, not animals. We send people to prison for animal cruelty and yet we allow this kind of thing to happen to children who cannot always controls their behaviors. As a mother of two autistic children, they should be shut down and thrown in jail and let the inmates there take care of them and see how it feels.

How the hell are we not rounding that place with tourches right now. WTF is wrong with the country.

you need to move to arizona where you can homeschool your kids without the school district being involved. thats what i did and it has worked wonders.

have you noticed the type on this page is not legible? the the left margin you cant make out the words because they are over written by what you have lining the left margin ...l

AWESOME! They need to do this to more invalids.

I think this treatment is awful and M.rMathew Isreal and his employees are very bad people and should go to jail for what they do to people because i was a student there for six weeks last winter .I did not recieve the electrical shock treatment but alot of the stafff were mean and cruel and abusive towards me

To Darryl williams: ---- If you truly are Darryl, then I owe you an apology. ---- Please understand that I am not your enemy, and neither is a certain former JRC staff member. Sometimes things are not as they appear, and sometimes people are manipulative and create false appearances. I apparently misunderstood your presentation in emails, and that is simply a human error. All of us will misunderstand other people on occasion, it is just a reality of life. If you choose to read my messages here and in other places, I believe that you may see that my efforts in opposing torture at the JRC are very real. I am a person with Asperger's Syndrome, who also has two other family members diagnosed with Autism. My efforts in this cause are not about selfish ambition or greed, but come from a desire to do what is right based upon the knowledge that I have on this subject. The attorney you speak of is well aware of my efforts, and we are in mutual communication regarding this cause. The former JRC employee is also very involved in this cause, and he is one of the few who openly challenges the torture at the JRC. Regardless of what he may have done in the past while being observed by JRC cameras, he is now very aggressively opposing Matthew Israel's extremist behavioral practices. I just want you to know that I am an ally in opposition to the treatment that exists at this place. If you ever wish to contact me in the future, I will use whatever information you supply for the purpose of opposing the JRC torture. You can count on that!

MATT ISRAEL - a PSYCHOLOGIST. Giving modern evidence of how unintelligent and cruel psychologists can be. How can people this cruel just get away with it? http://scienceblogs.com/corpuscallo sum/2007/03/arch_gen_psychiatry_torture_vs.php "Conclusions Ill treatment during captivity, such as psychological manipulations, humiliating treatment, and forced stress positions, does not seem to be substantially different from physical torture in terms of the severity of mental suffering they cause, the underlying mechanism of traumatic stress, and their long-term psychological outcome. Thus, these procedures do amount to torture, thereby lending support to their prohibition by international law."

Hello everyone, Instead of us complaining here, how about we put together a plan to draw, not just local attention to this place, but to get some nice PR by having TV stations show up, and broadcast live for the whole world to see? I'm willing to help out in a protest of this school. We, along with all the concerned people who've posted in here, can put together a protest, and take it to the sidewalks outside of the school, and then we can call local,national Radio/TV stations to let them in on the event. We could all work out a schedule to get enough people outside of this school for as many days as it takes. If we all rotated days, we would be able to keep it up for days, maybe weeks. I think that this would be the first step to start drawing attention to our cause, and that of those innocent kids, who are abused/mistreated in the hands of that barbaric monster. Please offer any other ideas/suggestions, and let's take this matter into our own hands. If we, the people, want something done, we need to do it ourselves because these terrorists (ex: Israel, etc.) are protected by $$$, special interest groups, and government officials. Thank you.

I have been subjected to highly painful electric shock treatment as a child in a similar institute in Belgium, Munsterbilzen. It's time for a violent retaliation otherwise we are the retarded people they say we are. act back now!

http://media.www.thejusticeonl ine.com/media/storage/paper573 /news/2007/09/25/News/Democrats.Initiate.Campaign-2988406.shtml A letter writing campaign is being intitated by Brandeis University students to demand the use of shocks to either be ceased, or massively reformed. If you are interested in helping this worthy cause, this is one way you can help.

I am the parent of an autistic child. My child was nonverbal, self stimming and self abusive. He would slam his head into walls and chew on his own tongue. I have bruises physically and emotionally. Two years have gone by and the differences in my child are amazing. He is no longer a threat to himself or those around him, and is the most amazing child. And all of this was accomplished WITHOUT aversives. Even in my darkest, most painful hour I would NEVER have allowed ANYONE to even MENTION or SUGGEST that this type of treatment would be considered, let alone acceptable. As a threat to himself and those around him, I cannot imagine allowing my child out of my sight for a simple physical exam, let alone to petition the court for the chance to allow a complete stranger to electrically shock my child to prevent 'undesirable' behaviors. I think that the issue here is stated on the first page...Israel's dream of a Utopian society. Utopia is theoretical. To even presume that fear and intimidation will create Utopia is a severely flawed idea. And for the parent of Michael Famolare.... using your child's shock activator as a visual stimulus for 'desired behavior' can hardly be interpreted as being civilized. A civilized human being is one that practices restraint of their own free will, not out of fear and intimidation. The bully down the street that pounds his fist into his other hand and demands my lunch money will more than likely get it, but not because I am 'civilzed.'

Trish: You're comparing my two years of suffering to what people do to their dogs? You're comparing ME to a DOG?!? I sincerely hope that you die a slow, brutal, and miserable death, you insensitive b!tch you! And to address a few other comments, yes, the U.S. is a sick, perverse nation, and yes, I am personally taking steps that will, perhaps, eventually rectify things. I'm doing everything short of buying a Hanzo sword and going after my enemies Kill Bill-style. And to that one guy who got all pissed because that other guy accused us of not doing anything: I'm actually quite glad that he made that assumption, because with the exception of you and I, most people here AREN'T doing anything, even though they sure as hell can. This stupid, lazy, fat cat of a nation needs to wake the f--k up and live according to this thing we have called The Constitution. You know, that document that the government was supposed to govern by, but never really did? And yes, I suck at remembering names. Unless it's Trish, because she's a b!tch. (It helps that they rhyme.)

The more I read of other people's comments, and that of Dr. Isreal himself, I can't help but feel that I am trapped in a bad science fiction movie. Like many others my age, I grew up on these movies that used "adverse methods" to treat and gain control of people that were thought to be beyond the powers of any other help. People that were "different" in their way of behaving and/or thinking. Why try to understand the lunatic that is on the grass, when you can just cut out the part of his brain that you think causes him to behave that way? Yes, most Dr.s have given up this surgical practice, knowing that it just didn't work. Even when they got better at cutting out the right portion of the brain, they still gave up the practice because they knew it was inhumane and just plain wrong. So why hasn't Dr. Isreal given up this inhumane treatment tnat is supposed to change peoples's behavior also? As a Dr. doesn't he know that one "treatment" doesn't work for everyone? Even people with the same diagnosis often have to have different methods used to help them. And the parents that sign consent forms to allow this abuse to be performed on their children-do they really believe the explaination they are getting from this place and it's employees? I don't think these parents are stupid, they are just desperate to get some kind of relief from the abuse THEY have been subjected to by their children. So they get this story about this "tried and true" method that will work for their child. They hear the horror stories from other parents who's children have actually been in this facility, and then they think that these stories are just made up by the child to get back at the "school" for trying to modify their bahavior. But all the stories can't be false. Too many stories from too many kids that don't know each other, never see each other, that have the same facts. If it were adults that were telling these stories they would be believed without question. I have been with children that are out of control. Children with mental illnesses. Children with severe mental retardation. Children with autism. This treatment would not do anything to most of them except make them become filled with fear and then really act out. Yes, as in the old movies, why try to understand the Frankinstein "monster" when you can just shoot him and stop his (thought to be) aggressive behavior? Why hasn't this method of behavior modification been used yet? It works really good to change a person's behavior. Because it would be considered inhumane and unlawful. Yet, repeated shocks are not. No wonder I'm dazed and confused.

To Ugh in Europe. Ugh, I appreciate your efforts as I have come to know you a little bit off-list. --- The American Psychological Association is basically an association that psychologists can choose to join. It is not an authoritative branch of U.S. government. You can read about them here: -- http://www.apa.org/about/ -- You will notice that they have 148,000 members "worldwide." So, they are not exclusive of psychologists from other nations, neither are they inclusive of ALL psychologists from the U.S.. While they may act as somewhat of a support group for psychologists, and they work to "advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare," they do not have any real basis of authority outside their organization. I do not know if Matt Israel is even a member of their organization. --- However, they do have a code of ethics. Within that code is Ethical Standard 1.05. This "ethical standard," is referred to in their recent reaffirmation of their "Position Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and Its Application to Individuals Defined in the United States Code as “Enemy Combatants."" --- This document places a serious responsibility upon their membership in stating, "BE IT RESOLVED that the American Psychological Association asserts that any APA member with knowledge that a psychologist, whether an APA member or non-member, has engaged in torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including the specific behaviors listed above, has an ethical responsibility to abide by Ethical Standard 1.05, Reporting Ethical Violations, in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2002) and directs the Ethics Committee to take appropriate action based upon such information, and encourages psychologists who are not APA members also to adhere to Ethical Standard 1.05." --- Also, within this document it is stated, "BE IT RESOLVED that the American Psychological Association unequivocally condemns torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, under any and all conditions..." --- The overall focus of the document is related to the treatment of individuals identified as "enemy combatants," however the wording clearly and undoubtedly "condemns torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, under any and all conditions." --- You will remember that I brought this to the attention of Lynn F. Bufka PhD, Assistant Executive Director of Practice Research & Policy, for the A.P.A., and I am still awaiting a second response from him. I am hopeful that the A.P.A. will specifically condemn the practices of "Torture" and Other Cruel, Inhuman," and "Degrading Treatment" and "Punishment," that continues to take place at the JRC. The statements within their reaffirmation should, through ethical responsibility, compel them as an organization to specifically condemn this practice at the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center, just as they have condemned it's use against alleged "enemy combatants." A specific declaration regarding this matter would be a bold statement from an organization with integrity and respect for all human beings. If they choose to not make a specific statement, then their silence will continue. However, in silence, there may be the unspoken declaration that people with Autism and other challenges are not worthy of the same respect as an alleged "enemy combatant." It is my hope that A.P.A.'s "Ethics Committee" will "take appropriate action based upon such information," I am going to cut and paste these words into another email message to Dr. Bufka, in the sincere hope that he will present them before the "ethics committee." Perhaps I am taking risks in being this bold, but sometimes a stand must be taken! --- I am aware of the group known as The Association of Behavioral Analysis - International. Most of us have heard of "ABA." Most of us are not aware that this association allows Dr. Israel to remain as a member. Most of us are also unaware that Dr. Israel is allowed by them to give presentations at their national meetings. If the American Psychological Association will take a stand that is consistent with their own ethical standards, then perhaps the impact of such a noble example will also be observed by the Association of Behavioral Analysis - International. It is my hope that such an example will motivate them to move away from policies that still provide tolerance for archaic worst practices.

One of my teachers brout this artical into the class. She read the whole thing to us. We all were amazed at how much they hurt there students. Then we all got to write a letter to the school, saying what we think about it, in our jornals. I wrote that no matter how mentaly disabled or how many behavoir problems kids might have they don't deserve to be abused.

Mother Jones is crucifying JRC,apparentlally without knowledge of what works,and what does not work for the most disturbed,self-destructive kids.I suggest Mother Jones come up with a real,working alternative,and stop whining and blaming JRC,who are taking the full responsibility for working with the most disturbed children.Once again,Mother Jones points fingers and condemns,but does not come up with a real,working alternative.I no longer respect Mother Jones,because this article is deliberately sensationalistic and exploitative;Mother has turned into a "Super-Market-Tabloid-Shock-Rag",seeking sensationalism instead of real knowledge.Really sad,Mother.What happened to YOU,anyhow??

I was actually student there from 1989-1992 (Back then, the place was referred to as Behavior Research Institute), and it was indeed quite frightening. Please refer to these posts I made on an autismn messageboard (I am not, however, autistic): Just to give the people who post here some insight into how the school (JRC) operated at that time...don't know how helpful it will be: I was a student there from 1989-1992. Back then, the school was called Behavior Research Institute and the main school building was at 240 Laban Street in Providence, R.I.. There were, at that time, about 8 satellite residences in the nearby suburbs of Attleboro, Seekonk, and Rehoboth Massachussetts. This was just a couple of years before the tremendous growth spurt they experienced. I'd estimate about 5 years before the school building moved up to Massachussetts and they acquired a lot of new properties. Anyway, I was a student at the time Linda Cornelison passed away. She was a resident of the "Frenier" house, which I believe is in Rehoboth. I didn't have much interaction with her, as I was one of two or perhaps 3 students that weren't retarded or learning disabled. At that time, the school was making their transition from dealing solely with the severely developmentally disabled and self-abusive to students with more mainstream/common issues. When I first arrived there, the school had about 60 students and catered to mostly severely autisitic/mentaly retarded people with a high incidence of self-asusive behavior and uncontrollable violence. During the three years that I was there, they started accepting more and more students that were actually school aged kids (14-21) with higher intellignece/fuctioning. They started to get people more like myself: Incorrigible delinquents. Or, they would get girls with compulsions and eating disorders. They can pretty much thank me for that. At that time, I heard rumors of my school district paying 150K a year to remand me there. And that was 17 years ago. I'd imagine they probably command 225K a student now. Which is how they can afford all of these luxurious homes that are decorated by that Tobinworld lady like something out of a mental patient's interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. But having horrible aesthetic taste is the least of their crimes. Loud clashing color schemes were the least of my worries while I was a student there. Anyway, by diversifying their student body and doing a bangup job of selling themselves with photo/video media at seminars/trade shows/etc, they were able to get their name out there and a reputation for successfully dealing with higher functioning students. Then, the whole place got even creepier and enrollment went up like 300% from that time. They appeal to parents like mine, who, are middle class or aupper middle class and live in affluent school districts where the fiscal resources are such that 150K a year to house a studfent who is delinquent or violent is not such a bad alternative to having to fight the parents in court and risk the kid staying in his high school and killing somebody. The way I see, it, it's a small price to pay. Because parents like mine have a modicum of money, and they will fight in the legal system to keep their kid out of jail and in school. So, I believe, what happens, is that the parents, the school district, and the courts come to an agreement that the child is "emotionaly disturbed" or whatever, and they say he/she is not inherently criminal, but troubled and in need of "therapy." I'll tell you this: If I was a poor Black kid from NYC, as opposed to the gifted son of a college professor from LI, I would have been put in juvenile detention and that would have been that. So, in my case, I feel I received the "benefits" of racial/economic privelege. I was commiting CRIMES. I was cutting classes, destroying things, assaulting adults......I should have been placed in Juvenile Detention. Instead, I now have an experience that no one else but maybe 400-500 other kids in the whole country/world can relate to. I cannot even explain it to people. Most people think I'm a bull[deleted] artist who watches too much Clockwork Orange when I describe this place to them. While Juvenile Detention is a bad place too, at least I would have had a definite sentence, and, upon realease could relate to and explain my situation to others. Anyway, admittedly, this post rambles and is not representatie of my best writing,, so, if anyone has any questions regarding my experience, or how the place was run during my time there, I will be glad to oblige you. E-mail = [email protected]. ************************************** I cannot honestly comment on the specifics of the Nicholson case, as, I was there about 13 years before him. I was, however, recently referred to his lawyer by someone familiar with my stay there.. I spoke with his lawyer (A guy..forgot his name already) for about a half hour 6 months ago. I hinted at some sort of class action suit, but he seemed to be uninterested. The feeling that I got from his inquiries, was that since I was able successsfully defend myself in court from JRC's attempt to place me on an aversive program, that my suffering was less definitive/dramatic/courtworthy (maybe he is right) than someone who had been shocked or spanked with cookie spatula. Still, I thought my recounting of having to sleep rubber shackles connected by chains for over a week after I tried to runaway was a pretty interesting tale that may have alone (aside form the years of psychological torture) merited my day in court, but while he showed (feigned?) interest in that little tidbit, he didn't exactly invite me to a deposition, either. I was soon thereafter solicited by a writer who said she had received my name and number from him (Is this even ethical? I suspect not.) from the NY Times who wanted to interview me. I declined. My impression of the lawyer from our conversation, some basic research, and the fact that I was solicited by a reporter at his behest a couple of weeks later, is that he is not a very skilled litigator, but rather, more of a third-rate ambulance chaser/publicity hound/opportunist. I suspect that he is either a lone wolf or from a firm that is not very prominent/successful. I mean, the guy operates out of Melville. That's not exactly where the White Shoe firms are. He's just a small-time LI attorney trying to make a name for himself. I picture him in my mind's eye as one of those bottom-feeders who deals solely with personal injury and has a waiting room full of lowly, impoverished, peasant degenerates looking to net themselves a few grand until they hit the lottery. Some other things I can tell you: Most of the "students" at JRC are from the wealthier school districts of NY and Massachussetts. They pay an EXHORBITANT, disgusting amount of money per year for each student to be housed there. Back in 1989, when I first arrived there, my Long Island school district (one of the first on Long Island to get bamboozled, and, thusly, setting the wheels in motion for others to follow suit) was paying 150K a year for me to be there. Clearly, torture is a profitable business. Dr. Israel (the school's director and lead behavioral psychologist) is a marketing genius. He was able to parlay piss-poor parenting into a multi-million dollar entrerprise. He does what other parents are unwilling to do, or, are simply unsuccessful at doing: Babysit and punish your kids. If you have a disdain for discipline or corporal punishment, if you're too lazy or lacksadaisical with regard to your children...........if your inconsistency in metering your affection/attention has caused your child to become impossible for his teachers to deal with; Dr. Israel and his staff of "Behavioral Therapists" will retrain them and protect their peers and teachers from their dangerous behavior! For just 200K a year! What a samaritan! What a sweetie! Really, it's not all that different from the prison-industrial complex, except instead of criminals, he has made a profitable, cottage industry of containing retarded/autistic/disturbed people.

To Dr. Slaff: Your son Matthew is/was extremely self abusive and the school helped him stop banging his head: one of his many compulsions. Still, I think the success they have had with him has you deluded into thinking that aversives are merely an option. They are a mainstay. Even for someone like me, who is obviously not cognitively impaired in any way, they tried, and, thankfully FAILED to get me approved. Even when other measures were successful, they wanted to have that in thier little arsenal. In short, they're insufferable, cocksucking cowards. I only wish that they had met me as a full grown adult, as opposed to a gangly 14 yr. old boy. I could have easily closed the school down with one well executed act. Now it's just too late. I weep for the future.

To the ignoramuses decrying Dr. Israel, as, well..an ignoramus: FOOEY. He's a Harvard graduate whose intelligence is really quite formidable. In fact, he used his inttledct and business acumen and successfully parlayed his knowledge of an emerging, theroretical science and found a way to make a ridiculous amount of money employing it. Dr. Israel and company do a marvelous job of helming the parental responsibilty of those who have given up. He is the "daddy wif a 'stension cord" for the many delinquents he now houses. Had the parents beat their own children when they were supposed to, as opposed to when it was not merited, and, had these same parents shown a genuine and consistent interest(early on, not just when they are already fighting in school or taking drugs)in their child's development, they most likely would not need to be in his house of horrors. Yes, I'm blaming the parents here, overall.

This is bizarre. If I were one of those children, I would rather die than suffer this.

I lived in a mental institution on the U of C campus that was started by Bruno Bettelheim. The staff decided hitting children as young as six was better than drugs. And by hitting I don't mean a smack. I mean frequently Dr. B. made a fist and pounded kids on the head, took two kids and rammed their heads together, he once pulled a naked teen girl out of the shower and punched her in front of others. All of this corporal punishment was kept secret until after he died and former students finally stepped forward to speak up. I arrived shortly after Dr. B. retired and the current director, a women, hired a former football player to hit the boys. A large, beefy man. The director took care of the girls. She punched, pulled hair, smacked girls in the face, etc. It took me years, but I found a way to look totally normal so as just to get out. For people who think drugs are worse than being constantly hit or shocked, think of what you would prefer. Punching, smacking, beating is shaming, and merely shoves the aggression underground. And I'm sure it dehumanizes the abusers. Even if some of those kids need to be physically restrained to stop themselves from severely hurting themselves then devise clothing for them to wear that makes it impossible for them to bite themselves. Put padding on the wall to soften the head banging. Dr. Israel seems to have enough money to hire someone to follow many of these kids around all day. Work out a therapy that at least can lead to a kind of trust between "student" and whatever these workers are called (SS guards comes to mind). A huge part of the problem is the lack of understanding and compassion for these victims. The head of this institution and his workers are able to act out their own aggressive responses to the children's wild behavior with no real concern for anything but control. I know at the U of C, staff just followed whatever Dr. B. told them for years or left and said nothing about abuse. It's up to the outer community to step in and see reason. The parents who demand such an institution exist have given in to their rage and horror for having a child who is so difficult. Again, it's up to the surrounding community to step in and stop this cruelty. Dr. Israel tells his staff to hide the shocking device so that the child can't tell when the shock is to be given. He requires this so the students can't find the time to tense their muscles to dull the pain. The children and young adults there know of this sadistic attitude towards themselves. These people are human and as fellow humans we must imagine what such sadistic attitudes and behavior directed at us would do to our psyches and, as the girl with the sign requested, "help".

What on earth is wrong with any parent who agrees to shock a child for behaviors that are known to be caused from their diagnosis not something they can control. That is torture and I am ashamed to be included in the medical field that would allow anything of this nature. I am a nurse and a parent of an autistic child who has some self-abusive behaviors and there are medications that greatly reduce these uncontrolled behaviors and the the remaining behaviors can be managed with APPROPRIATE behavioral intervention plans. SHAME ON ANY ONE OUT THERE, PARENT, EDUCATOR OR MEDICAL PERSONEL WHO FEELS THEY HOLD THE POWER TO CHANGE AN UNCONTROLLED BEHAVIOR BY SHOCKING A CHILD UNTIL THEY SUBMIT OUT OF FEAR OF PAIN????!!!!! GOD PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THIS TREATMENT AS WE AS A SOCIETY MUST BE TOO IGNORANT TO SEE THE ERROR OF OUR WAYS

I agree that it's the worse place. I can't believe that in a country that prides itself in protecting human rights allows such a barbaric facility to remain in business. Shame on the parents who send their kids there.

Karen: Thank you for your glowing appraisal of my prose. I am actually a little displeased with my later posts, as there were some spelling errors and such. I was one of the few, if not the only lucky student to NOT be court approved for any aversive treatment. In my era, 1989-1992, everyone was approved for aversives, but, if I remember correctly, few of the higher functioning students were approved for any shock. At that time, they were using the weaker (though still extraordinarily painful) SIBIS units and were in the process of transitioning to the GED device for the more difficult students. When JRC (Then BRI) took me to court and I stood before Judge Rotenberg, he made perhaps the most sage decison of his career by denying BRI the right to give me aversives, electric or otherwise. Their argument centered around my aggression and they presented, as evidence, a videotape of me methodically going after a Program Director and demonstrating my handskills. Yet, when I sttod before Rotenberg, he saw that while I was an extremely aggresive kid, I was also sane, lucid, and possessing an IQ in the gifted range. I think he saw that if he rubberstamped me without any reservation, it could have conceivably brought the whole house of card tumbling down.Maybe if I was the type of student typical of that era (a moderately to severely retarded person prone to self-mutilation), they would have had me on aversives. Obvously, I did not fit that criteria. If someone is unaware of their surroundings or not cognitive---not able to express their feelings and explain their self abuse, then PERHAPS I can see the rationale behind shocking them. I was just an antisocial teenager. An extraordinarily large and somewhat athletic manchild, who was indifferent to the feelings of others and had no reservations about maiming an adult caretaker. In short, I was a child criminal who used his size and wit to manipulate the system, which, if you think about is, is normal behavior for any teenager. We all try to get over as kids. I was just more successful than other children at getting over by using a campaign of terror and destruction. Now, would JRC have been able to contain me with aversives? Certainly. Hell, they even contained me by merely using restraints and psychological torture. My argument, is, that I (and others like me) am cognizant enough to realize that once the electrodes are off, it's party time. Therefore, once you remove me from that highly regulated environment, I am going to do whatever the hell I want to do. There is no "cure" for someone like me. Only containment and seclusion. Why, just last night, I threatened to pummel and anally rape another man who actively campaigned to irritate me. I can tell you, for the TRULY "high functioning", JRC DOES NOT work, and I am not just referring to myown case, either. I have been beating the shyt and piss out of people regularly since I left BRI/JRC, and, even as my natural testosterone wanes (as I am in my mid thirties now), I will continue to use my size and street education to intimidate and coerce people who I find to bothersome and threatening to my sense of well-being This is natural selection. I'm 6' 7" and 310 lbs. and I am going to use that to get ahead or pleasure myself in the same manner a lion would use his speed and strength to take down an antelope; the same way a dopey blonde with big breasts will arch her back to get what SHE wants. These are my assets and this is how I choose to use them. If I were a student there now, I'd smuggle knife or a .22 automatic to that school. Now, I know, right now, as I type this, some kid is there. He is not even reading this, but, he is streetsmart enough to have theses thoughts. He'll wipe the vaseline off of that knife or that gun and he'll proceed to martyr some poor, working class, 15 dollar-an-hour "Mental Health Assistant" bastard and liberate himself from that school. From one proletariat to another, I will lament his untimely depature from our bountiful Earth, but also realize that it helped bring about a greater good.

I am absolutely flabbergasted that this kind of treatment is still used today. We are not aloud to mistreat animals, we would be put in jail for animal cruelty; but yet, this facility is doing this to children, the future of our country. As the saying goes, "you get more flies with honey than vinegar"; the same goes with dealing with children who have problems, treat them with love and dignity and see how far you get! Much farther than with torture and humiliation! I would LOVE to see these people undergo the same treatment they are inflicting on the children under their care and see how they turn out!

http://nospank.net/jrc.pdf What inspecters found at this hellhole.

APA Letter, Page 2 --- http://boston.com/news/daily/15/school_report.pdf and a myriad of additional information on the school and its practices can be found by googling the Judge Rotenberg Center. Proponents of behaviorism have voiced their opposition to these practices. Although the Director of the Judge Rotenberg Center often defends his practices by stating that he was trained by B. F. Skinner, Dr. Skinner made it very clear that he did not condone such practices. At the age of 83, he was interviewed by Daniel Goleman of the New York Times. In an article published August 25th, 1987, titled, "Embattled Giant Of Psychology Speaks His Mind," his view is stated. “The use of punishment is another issue Dr. Skinner still feels impassioned about. He is an ardent opponent of the use of punishment, such as spanking, or using ''aversives'' -such as pinches and shocks - with autistic children. ''What's wrong with punishments is that they work immediately, but give no long-term results,'' Dr. Skinner said. ''The responses to punishment are either the urge to escape, to counterattack or a stubborn apathy. These are the bad effects you get in prisons or schools, or wherever punishments are used.'' The complete article can be viewed here: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f ullpage.html?res=9B0DE3D6143CF 936A1575BC0A961948260&sec;=health&spon;=&pagewanted;=print The 1965 experimental research of O. Ivar Lovaas, Benson Schaeffer, and James Q. Simmons, conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, concluded that electric shock applications did not have enduring effectiveness. In conclusion, they questioned the need for shocking children with Autism by stating, “A basic question, then, is whether it is necessary to employ shock in accomplishing such an end or whether less drastic methods might suffice.” (Journal Of Experimental Research in Personality 1, 99-109 (1965)) A recent Mother Jones article about this institution began like this, “Rob Santana awoke terrified. He'd had that dream again, the one where silver wires ran under his shirt and into his pants, connecting to electrodes attached to his limbs and torso. Adults armed with surveillance cameras and remote-control activators watched his every move. One press of a button, and there was no telling where the shock would hit—his arm or leg or, worse, his stomach. All Rob knew was that the pain would be intense.”(Mother Jones, August 20, 2007). A horror from the Abu Ghraib prison scandal? No, torture carried out in the name of treatment, right here in the State of Massachusetts, against the most vulnerable of our young people -- and designed and implemented by Psychologists. It is additionally noted that programs that are built around scientific knowledge and principles will generally welcome peer review and a continual improvement process. Currently and historically, JRC practices are remarkably deficient in these areas. As leaders in the field of psychology, and as professionals who are intolerant of torture, APA has an opportunity, if not an obligation, to demonstrate leadership in this matter. Please consider the following facts and arguments. Section 1 of the American Psychological Association Code of Ethics, creates a standard of excellence in regards to the personal accountability of psychologists to their Code of Ethics. It also establishes a means for resolving professional ethical issues between psychologists and with organizations with which Psychologists may be affiliated.

The APA letter is posted on these two blog sites, http://disabledsoapbox.blogspot.com /2007/10/call-for-ethical-and-unprejudiced.html http://hymes.wordpress.com/200 7/10/13/petition-the-american- psychological-association-to-ban-to rture-against-people-with-disabilities/ These will be updated with names of supporters by the end of this week. Thank you for caring about this issue.

lolliepop

WOW WHAT A STORY I'VE NEVER HAD A DRRAM LIKE THAT!!I KNOW THAT TO BE SCARY FOR YOU!!!AND I KNOW WHEN YOU WENT TO JAIL THAT HAD TO be horrible but one good thing came out of it!!that is you learned a great lesson 1.that you dont want to go back to jail cause it was horrible 2.that dreams can sometimes come true but not all and you dont get to become that dream and go do horible thing(like go to jail)you just need to forget and move on thourgh your life!!! thanks for letting me talk to you i know trhis that i tyeped is long im sorry, MCKENZIE L. MONTGOMERY

SORRY I MESSED UP ON MY LAST TWO SO HERE IS THE RIGHT ONE: WOW WHAT A STORY I'VE NEVER HAD A DRRAM LIKE THAT!!I KNOW THAT TO BE SCARY FOR YOU!!!AND I KNOW WHEN YOU WENT TO JAIL THAT HAD TO be horrible but one good thing came out of it!!that is you learned a great lesson 1.that you dont want to go back to jail cause it was horrible 2.that dreams can sometimes come true but not all and you dont get to become that dream and go do horible thing(like go to jail)you just need to forget and move on thourgh your life!!! thanks for letting me talk to you i know trhis that i tyeped is long im sorry, MCKENZIE L. MONTGOMERY

Let's wait, dear heart, until he's out of there, until he's out from under your 'benevolent care' and see what HE thinks. This is barbaric treatment, and you've been sold a bill of goods, my dear. I have an ADHD child and it IS frustrating for both the school and the parent, but you can't feed your child to the wolves, or the con artists, in this case. This man pays himself $400K annually and my town rakes in the blood money as tax income from the $96 million Israel cons the states to give him.

Alice, maybe the supporters of the school should voluntarily submit to a week in the life of their students and allow an outside group of "teachers" to shock them when they misbehave. Even then it would not come close to simulating the experience of these tortured young people who have zero control over their fate ! I cannot believe that a place like this exists in Massachusetts in 2007 !

I wonder how many of those developmentaly disabled children don,t cry out(some of them have a high tolerance of pain.) when they are subjected to those shocks makes my skin crawl when i think about it.

this is an mk ultra mind control center using human guinea pigs to study and torture "problematic" innocent people unfortunately there are a lot of sick people who will do the shocking many of these shockers themselves may be victims and have alter personalities. all investigations will be stonewalled they are "protected at the highest levels.

It's torture, how is this legal?

Mathew Israel has a sick and dimented mind. He would lurr parents of autistic children into sending them to his hellhole with his Mickey Mouse theme, his arcade. When I toured the school with my parents, I was so excited and looked forward to coming to JRC because I loved the idea of hanging out in the arcade everyday and going to their weekly barbeque. It almost seemed like I would be living at Disney Land. However, once I arrived, I quickly saw the grim reality of the hellhole that I now live at. When I toured the school with my parents, I wasn't told that I could be restrained and placed in a smelly mitt jacket for infractions as simple as crushing a paper cup. I was never told that a staff member would be watching me use the bathroom and take a shower. I was never told that I could someday be strapped to Israels torcher shock device which eventrually happened to me. About nine months into my stay, I was telling my mother that I'm scarred that they were going to hook the GED to me and she said that she would not permit that from happening. Sure enough, less than six months following that, I'm hooked to the torcher device. One of JRC advertisement ploys which sickens me to the pit of my stomack is the fact that they say they have a "near zero rejection/expulsion policy." The reason for that is because they electricute their clients into behaving and if the parent won't consent to the shocks, their child is expelled. Perhaps what it should say is "near zero rejection/expulsion policy (disclaimer: if you do not allow us to electricute your child for misbehaving, he/she will be expelled)."

after reading some of these comments, yes i can sympathize with the parents of the children that are at these types of schools. and yes they do let the parents feel the shock device. ok it might not hurt for an adult, but as adults we have a much higher paint hreashold than children do. if we fall over as adults and graze our knees it hardly hurts, but when we do it as children it hurts like hell...so inagine that as a shock, imagine what it would feel like for our children

Wow Teri: You sure told me! Not. I get night sweats and flashbacks thinking about that place. I never belonged there. I belonged in juvenile detention, where, while my experience would not have been a good one either, I would have been there less time and it would have at least bore a semblance to a childhood that at least a significant portion of the population can identify with. The fact of the matter is, when I was places in JRC, I was not legally responsible for my own actions: I WAS A MINOR. I could have gone to The Berkshire School, or Juvenile detention, but, instead, I got to hang out with drooling retarded kids all day. The school made a mint off of me. I didn't need to be there. You cannot justify 150K a year for housing one kid. That's madness, and you and them know it. I can't wait until the chickens come home ot roost. Israel is playing a dangerous game by abusing people who have the cognitive ability to turn the tables against their tormentors. I will bide my time and wait until I read about it in the paper. "If I was a good kid blahblahblah..." By your reasoning, I guess all girls with short skirts deserve to be raped, then? You're talking abou tthe actions of a 13 or 14 year old boy. I'm all for personal responsibility, too. If I committed crimes, then I should have recdeived a definite, standard punishment, as opposed to being made to live in fear uncertainty, for an inordinate period of time. So, when it comes to the actions of a minor, I DO blame the parents: THEY DID A PISS POOR JOB. My stepfather, instead of choosing to deal with me (probably due to some sort of neurotic Oedipus ideation...the man was a compulsive, neurotic mess), relegated me to institutions at a mere 10 years-old. If you cannot control a 10 year-old, then, YES: YOU SUCK AS A PARENT. Nice try, Teri. As far as the other kids that have done nicely....that is who YOU know of. Ask Israel about the guys I mentioned. About me. About Ernie. I compare BRI/JRC with the beating of dogs: Some dogs will break easily under the abuse and whimper/cower in a corner. Other dogs, after beng abused repeatedly, will continue to growl and bear their teeth. Either way, you know the dog was beaten.

Please go to the Brandeis University Justice newspaper online at www.thejustinceonline.com Oct 9 issue and read my son's article about JRC (Shocks Inefficient and Immoral), together with Dr Israel's rebuttal. Brandeis students have formed a very active group opposed the JRC, linked up with attorneys involved in lawsuits,and are planning a publicity campaign and protest. I hope readers will be encouraged by the efforts of these passionate students.

Ashley: You are correct. I said the same thing about Mark Laurenza: 20+ years of "treatment."

In light of the fact that current professionals in the field of psychology no longer advocate the use of aversive stimuli in treatments, I was greatly surprised that an institution such as the Rotenberg Center even existed. Matthew Israel and his staff seem to have ignored this awareness and instead continue on with their almost sadistic treatment plan. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of this article was the fact that parents and staff continue to shock students, even after the death of six children. This loss may be accepted if the Israel’s methods had concrete research support as well as legitimate real-life cases in which the use of aversive stimulus actually helped, but he does not. Ethically, it is a mystery to me that such a place is still allowed to accept students, but more surprising is the willingness of parents to subject their child to literal torture. Israel has always defended his method by saying it was for use with children who didn’t respond to any other type of treatment, and this is makes ethical sense if larger children are violent and hurt themselves or others. However, over 50% of the current student population at the Rotenberg Center is classified as “high-functioning”. This means that his staff administers shocks to students who are most likely not dangerous and would respond most to positive reinforcements. Therefore, it seems that Israel contradicts himself and is clinging onto his system of shock therapy in order to save face. Clearly, any member of society would agree that shocking a child with mild ADD or ADHD is overly inhumane and plays no legitimate role in effective treatment. What further discredits Israel is the evidence he uses to justify his methods. He first directs any skeptics to a list of research articles which he claims support his treatment plan. However, the majority of this research is over twenty years old and cannot be considered evidence of the effectiveness of punishment. Also, if he really wanted to demonstrate to the psychological community that his methods actually help troubled children, he would have done research and published it in a peer-reviewed journal. Since he has avoided this, he must know that his methods are not effective and instead cause more harm and distress to his students then their actual disorders. Israel’s final attempt to win over the parents of prospective students and professionals are the testimonials he provides in a video of two patients, Janine and Caroline, who show improved behavior and a return to “normalcy” in the video. However, even this “real life” evidence is fake, since the reporter from Mother Jones meets both girls, who are still at the Rotenberg Center as adults. It seems that Israel has a vision in his head of what his ideal treatment is, but he shows a complete disregard for ethical and legal issues, as well as the necessity of concrete research evidence. While shock therapy may be a temporary fix for violent, out of control children, it is only effective as long as the threat is there. Instead of creating a long-lasting solution and allowing for healthy recovery, these children are confronted with violence, fear, and possible death everyday.

Jennifer Gonnerman claims that using shock treatment on “troubled” kids is verging on torture. However, Jennifer Gonnerman has a background in journalism, not in psychology. Why should I believe an article written by a non-expert that is not peer reviewed and has no hard evidence to support the claim? This article “School of Shock” presents very little data to back up all of the claims being made. This article claims that there are angry parents that have pulled their children out of the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center (JRC). However, it fails to note the percentage of parents that pull their children out of the school. This article also fails to show any kind of success (or failure) rate that the school holds. This entire article is based on the angry response of one child and his mother. Personally, I am not quick to take on another person’s opinion without any data to back it up. The author of this article does not claim to have any personal experience with the type(s) of behavior that are being treated at the center. This article also fails to show any past data about prior treatments the current JRC student had tried and how extreme their case is. The students at JRC might have tried every other possible treatment. I do not have a strong opinion either for this treatment or against it, but I do have a strong opinion against displaying an opinion in an article with so little factual information. This article was written by a woman with no personal experience, no background in the field, and not enough research.

I am appalled that these people are still in business and have the support of some parents of the students there. These children are being treated like animals whose disorders can be magically cured through punishment. I found the end of the article specifically interesting when the tour and interviews were conducted leaving a feel that Israel controls his facility and staff completely with the intent to do what he feels is right and not have to disclose the true nature of his “treatments.” I cannot comprehend how this school can still be functioning, especially when the changeover in staff is so high, leading me to believe something unethical is occurring that not many can stand enough to continue working there or follow the rules of punishment to where they get fired. Overall though, I don’t think this “treatment” works. Nothing is being done about the causes of the disorders, such as counseling, and students seem to return to their former behavior once out of the program. Even Katie, the Golden Child of Rotenberg Center, returned to swearing and fighting with her mom, regardless of whether it was just as extreme as it was prior to her entrance in the program or not. Additionally, it seems ridiculous to expect to be able to condition away disorder, when many of them have biological roots that require a different approach to treatment. My biggest concern about this whole issue is how this is legal. This type of punishment seems to fall into the category of corporal punishment, which is physical, bodily punishment, and that behavior has been outlawed in many states, including, ironically, Massachusetts, where this school resides. How can school districts suggest this center as the best means to deal with these disorders where such punishment is the only means of treatment?

I can't believe that this kind of treatment program is still continuing today.I would have to say that I think it is completely unfair to the children who are receiving the shocks. In one part of the article, it says that the shock-therapy teaches the children how to behave like humans. However, I would have to disagree. I do believe that shock treatment and experimentation is very prevalent amongst animals. B.F Skinner did a lot of research but a lot of his research dealt with animals. Yes I would agree that positive and negative reinforcements influence the behavior of an individual. I also believe that shock treatment is neither of the two. It is a horrible punishment that should never be used again. Punishing a child without telling them why you are doing or giving them possible alternatives to the behavior is very ineffective. Children will walk around afraid for their well-being. No one should have to live life that way. Children who have ADD or ADHD need to learn how to live with their disorders and not be afraid of their every move. They may need special needs or may need to learn in different ways. These children live in a very controlled environment not like the real world. In this situation, they would only be changing their behavior to escape shock/pain, not because they have actually learned to. These parents are basically giving someone permission to abuse the children. This system seems to be very consistent, however, some staff members may abuse the shock treatment if they feel necessary. One staff member claimed that the students like to lie sometimes. However, I would assume that it would be more likely for a staff member to lie. They are in the higher position of power. No one is going to question their decisions because they are professionals. They will always take their word for it too because why would the lie on children? I would just say that I am sure that there is other behavioral modification treatment that can be done on these kids instead of just shocking them. The field of behavior treatment is very well researched and has a lot of credibility. However, by stooping so low to revert back to basic shock treatment is a real slap in the face to the field. As psychologists, can they not come up with someone a little more effective and less harsh than this kind of treatment? Are they just that simple that this is the only thing they feel will work. I think it is very embarrassing and quite stupid in my opinion. In this day in age with all of the research and technology we have, we are still shocking children to make them behave a certain way. Unbelievable.

As I read this article, I wondered if this could even be true because it seems so far-fetched. I cannot understand how an institution, who claims to be a “special needs” school, can think that implementing this type of treatment would be effective. In adapting to special needs, there has to be differentiated treatment. It is not reasonable to think that giving shocks to everyone will help behavior, concentration, or whatever the case may be. Is this the only type of intervention or treatment that the disturbed children receive? If so, this institution is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever come to know. It is mentioned that this institution has several different cases of children with psychological disorders, learning disabilities, and mental handicaps. With problems this severe, there needs to be counseling/therapy of some sort before any interventions can take place. It was expected by the Rob’s mother that therapy would be incorporated. This obviously was not help true, and the institution should be held accountable for portraying the purpose and procedure of the school. That is a lawsuit in itself, not to mention how electroshock therapy on children with disorders should be illegal and those who implement it should go to jail. Not only does this institution cost millions per year, it is destroying the reputation of effective treatment. ECT is supposed to be used for adults who are severely depressed and give full consent. There are risks in performing this therapy, but as a liable adult, the risks are not as important as receiving effective treatment. However, teenagers may feel that risks of memory loss and haunting experiences (because the shocks are given out of unwillingness) are not worth the “treatment”.

Teri, you worked in the office. I suggest you restrict your professional suggestions to matters of pencil pushing and coffee fetching. You clearly have no idea about what you're talking about. I've read your blogs elsewhere, and maybe you're a good file clerk, or whatever you were, but matters of psychology clearly elude you. If a student wants to talk about their experinces at the school, who the hell are you to come here and try to beat them down again? I completely support any survivor of this hellhole who wants to tell their story. Don't pretend to know the first thing about this place or the people who survived it. You worked in the office. Give these people a break, really.

In reality, "pain" is the natural way that the body reacts to by sending it's message to the brain that someting is wrong. It is one of the, if not the most important, senses that we have to prevent us from destroying ourselves. EX: You put your hand on a very hot stove. It starts to burn you. The pain immediately tells your brain to react by pulling your hand away. You are prevented from doing further damage to your hand. Perhaps some people can be in such a primitive state of mind that they will create their own pain to get relief from their emotional stress, which can be a worse fact than the using "the shock tecniques" done at this school. Perhaps the school's Shock Policy is more humane than permitting self-destruction to continue. It is easy to look at and critisize something, but harder to take the time to understand and accept the same idea. It sounds to me like most of you are too quick to show contempt for this treatment center! I'd lay odds 10 to 1 that most of you have "smacked" a child at one time or another to get him or her to quickly change their behavior. Think about it! Just maybe this technique is better than the self-destructive path these kids are already on. I do agree that some sort of psychiatric council should accompany the procedure. But I would not be too quick to rebute the humanity of this treatment.

I found this article about the Rotenberg Educational Center very disturbing. What occurs there and how these people are treated is ridiculous! In the beginning the pinching of feet, the spanking with spatula’s, putting ammonia under their noses, the water sprays, and the squeezing of muscles, to me, seems like torture, and then later the electrical shocks that they say feel like bee stings, but are described as actually feeling like a horde of wasps attacking. I’d like to know if Dr. Israel has ever put the electrodes on himself. I do not find this ethical at all. These people have mental problems that need to be treated therapeutically, not by hurting them. Linda, one of the patients had a mental capacity of a toddler. She refused to eat and was laid down inside spending the day on the couch, and the staff treated her actions as misbehaviors. She was spanked, squeezed, as well as other punishments, but I don’t believe that she even knew that she was doing anything wrong, and later that day died. I don’t believe that not letting them talk to each other is also something that they are doing wrong at this school. Kids need to socialize as part of development, and there are only certain time when they can do this? This is absurd! Paul Touchette, like Israel also studied Skinner, and in the article says “Punishment doesn’t get at the cause….It just scares the hell out of patients”. I completely agree with his statement. This students are scared. In one of the given scenarios, a parent that actually approves of this, shows the child the shock activator when they are acting out, and they will stop whatever they are doing that is “acting out”. But I don’t think that this treatment is even scaring them as much as it is harming them. Another researcher found that after time that a person would just become immune to the feeling of the shock. And treating kids with ADHD and ADD and autism that isn’t at an extreme state should be treated more with medication, the shocks are completely unethical. I think that REC needs to be shut down until it can absolutely be proven effective. I don’t understand how it is still open after as many lawsuits and investigations it has been under. In 2007, New York officials issued regulations that would prohibit shocking New York students for minor infraction, but then parents filed a federal lawsuit to stop the state’s enforcing of these regulations. I’d like to meet this parents. I feel like to some extent they don’t want to have to deal with their children themselves so they just send them to REC. I feel sad for the kids in this “Hell-Center” because of what they have to experience everyday and the anxiety that they go through in wondering what and when they are going to get shocked for and when it’s going to happen next.

Dear Steve: You must be an AMAZING person. You as a parent can stay up all night and all day and make sure your son does not butt his head through a window. You really are an AMAZING person. Please tell me your secret.

It is very easy to judge other people without looking in a mirror.

Note to the editors: how about a section containing "censored" comments. You know, the ones you've removed not because they didn't meet your blog rules, but because they don't meet whatever your personal agenda might be? My post was on topic in that it discussed the type of society that allows such abuse. Or is MotherJones as much a fan of quiet censorship as those you theoretically oppose?

Horror!... Horrific!... Horribilis! This center most close at once! But we have to have an alternative and I have the answer. The Center most be given to a trusful not-for-profit organization and I can teach them the technique of how to get them better in a short period of time. They behave like this because they are poisoned.I did it with my own son. When I called the office of Mother Jones - editorial Dept. he said he was not interested in the story which made me very sand. Psychiatry is the most deadly force on the face of this planet. All they are interested is in selling neuroleptics or psychotropics and leaving scores of people psychotic as cash cows for them. My son Albert was left with '0' IQ, with incontinence, incapable of communicating and horrendously violent, ready to kill. We had to hire 3 men to control him, lost $10M in a contract and our valuable business in real estate and Albert and our family have been suffering for the last 12 years with the unbelievable abuse of our Constitutional Rights. Albert is now free of the poisoning pharma and therefore became noble again after 7 detoxofications under a secure environment. That's what every child needs and they will return to normality very fast and it cost very little. I have the technique but because the corruption in the Judicial System is virtually impossible to be compensated. I want to bring the alternative to care for these children and especially to teach how to care in the most humane way in a larger farm by the Mountains, but I need help. Twice that I've tried I've been stopped and with all our assets taken by fraud, is very hard to get lifted from the ashes. I have experience in the care of people. I had the best homeless shelters for women in Manhattan. Negative forces are trying to undermine me but I'm indomitable, I have a cause, to help as many families as I can. We have 12.8 million children suffering and taxpayers are paying $247,000/bed/per year on average.Magnificen Business! Good people of the World, let's unite and establish the first real humane facility that is going to be the shining point and the change for this cruel world of sinister psychiatry.

We can all state how horrified we are about this facility, but how many of us are going to actively participate in working to change the system and laws in the state of Massachusetts. That is going to be the one way to assure that another of these types of institutions are not allowed to open, it this institution gets closed.