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    Video Of Judge Rotenberg Center Shocking: What More Do People Need To See?
    By Kim Wombles | April 13th 2012 11:30 AM | 23 comments | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
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    About Kim

    Instructor of English and psychology and mother to three on the autism spectrum.

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    Men and women of good conscience cannot sit silently by and allow these things to happen. This is abuse and torture and, still, people support these. Still the Massachusett's State House supports it. Believe it or not, some parents of residents continue to speak out in favor of the use of these shocks.

    Graphic video of teen being restrained, shocked played in court: MyFoxBOSTON.com

    This has to stop. Why there isn't a greater outcry--why there isn't uniform outrage over the abuse and torture of disabled individuals is unbelievable. Why hasn't the federal Justice Department closed this center down? Why do the employees of the center engage in this abuse and torture? Why aren't all the major autism organizations standing up and putting the combined weight of their millions of dollars and their lobbying efforts to get this shut down, permanently banned?

    How much more abuse and torture do you really need to see before you stand up and say no more? Before prosecutors in the area prosecute the individuals doing the shocking? Before accrediting boards revoke the licenses of the psychologists, doctors, and behavioral analysts who work there?


    Really? How much more will it take for action to occur?

    Comments

    Gerhard Adam
    Kim, you're absolutely right.  "Aversion therapy" is just a pseudoscientific phrase to rationalize torturing people to try and "condition" them.  If this were a dog, people would be all over it, but somehow when it comes to patients, people think they can rationalize this kind of "treatment" as justifiable.  It is a total outrage.
    Gerhard Adam | 04/13/12 | 12:27 PM
    kwombles
    It is, and just as outrageous is how parents and professionals connected to the school support it. It's an uphill battle--my pieces on the Florida school using full body restraint showed how restraint makers insist the restraints are good and needed, how the schools insist it's appropriate and how little the public cares whether disabled children are abused. 
    —
    “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” --MLK, Jr.
    Kim Wombles | 04/13/12 | 20:56 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    What really irritates me is that we afford more protections for dangerous animals and yet we excuse such treatment for humans under the guise of "it needs to be done for theirs and others protection".  People must simply be fools to accept such rationalizations.

    Can you imagine the outcry if such "treatment" were performed on prison inmates [who are arguably much more "dangerous"]?
    Gerhard Adam | 04/13/12 | 21:24 PM
    let's stop comparing .. torturing animals or humans is the same.. both feel pain, both suffer. Let's just use our strength and outrage to stop this horrific treatment of disabled children. I am an animal rescuer and I am just as outraged and pained at what this school is doing to children as I would be at the horrors I've seen done to defenseless animals. These children are defenseless. And what about their parents? Since the school does clearly state that they use such methods, why are parents putting their children in such a place???

    Sharon Azar (not verified) | 05/05/12 | 14:37 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    let's stop comparing .. torturing animals or humans is the same.. both feel pain, both suffer.
    Yes, that's true, but the comparisons are important, because these "therapists" are hiding behind the dictum that this is necessary as "therapy".  That is the excuse that allows this to continue.  In the case of animals we recognize it explicitly as cruelty.  In the case of these humans, we are being told that it isn't cruel because it serves  a "higher purpose".

    It's nonsense of course, but the comparison is important to help people recognize that there is no difference.  This is simply a reverse case of the 17th century vivisectionists when they tried to argue that "    animals were clocks; that the cries they emitted when struck were only the noise of a little spring which had been touched". 


    Gerhard Adam | 05/05/12 | 15:28 PM
    comparisons are odious... shakespeare.. .
    we must try to stop this horrific treatment of children . .. but we must also ask why the parents of these children are allowing such treatment? My guess is that some of these children are way too aggressive and the parents are fearful for their lives, which is understandable. However, with all the drugs we have today, why can't these dangerous children be controlled with drugs instead of torture... It breaks my heart the same way as when I learn about an innocent dog or rabbit, etc. who must suffer for the 'higher purpose' of science. .killing and torturing are demonic and no good can come of these.

    Sharon Azar (not verified) | 05/06/12 | 17:00 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    ...why can't these dangerous children be controlled with drugs instead of torture...
    ... and that's where you will lose the argument.  The whole rationale behind this "aversion therapy" is to avoid creating the "zombies" associated with heavy drug therapies.  This is one of the reasons why parents suppose this idea.  Drugs are ultimately no better if the only purpose is to render people helpless just so that they can be managed.
    Gerhard Adam | 05/06/12 | 17:24 PM
    yes, you are correct. as I typed the thought, I realized it was the wrong direction. When I take in a dog who has been abused and doesn't trust humans, I work with that dog.. never, ever using hard correction or even a raised voice. . And some dogs are so angry (for good reason) they can be scary. So during my training program, the dog will receive so much patience and love that giving in and trusting is the only direction the dog can follow; they become literally 'speechless'... I assume a really good program for these challenged children would be something similar. While I realize children are more complex than dogs, I strongly believe the same thing applies.. love, love, and more love.. patience, patience and more patience.. only with a child it would take longer and the caregivers would have to be more patient. With a dog my program usually takes about 3 months.

    Sharon Azar (not verified) | 05/06/12 | 18:59 PM
    again, making comparisons between prison inmates, animals and these children will go nowhere. each one of these 3 populations have been and continue to be victims of cruelty. I can tell you that very few are'crying out' for the animals. the numbers of animals that suffer at the hands of cruel people is huge.. .. so please use your energy to help these children and don't waste time making false comparisons.

    Sharon Azar (not verified) | 05/11/12 | 10:16 AM
    Bonny Bonobo alias Brat
    How much more abuse and torture do you really need to see before you stand up and say no more? Before prosecutors in the area prosecute the individuals doing the shocking? Before accrediting boards revoke the licenses of the psychologists, doctors, and behavioral analysts who work there?

    Really? How much more will it take for action to occur?
    Good questions Kim. Well I'm totally outraged about this treatment of these disabled people but me being outraged in Australia is just a drop in the ocean, surely someone in the US needs to organise a petition, canvas the relevant politicians and start a collective law suit? Maybe looking at how similar cases of physical and psychological abuse of disabled people have been successfully overcome in the past in the US might also help?
    —
    Make love not war
    Helen Barratt | 04/13/12 | 20:27 PM
    kwombles
    People have been trying to shut it down since it opened--regular appeals before the state legislature--court cases--but parents of the residents come forward begging and pleading for it to  remain open, arguing that the shocks are necessary, and enough politicians listen and refuse to shut it down. The Justice Department has been looking into it for at least two years and yet the abuse continues.
    —
    “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” --MLK, Jr.
    Kim Wombles | 04/13/12 | 20:52 PM
    Bonny Bonobo alias Brat
    but parents of the residents come forward begging and pleading for it to  remain open, arguing that the shocks are necessary
    What I don't understand is how in that video Andres' mother says that prior to her son experiencing these recorded electrocutions and her son's subsequent obvious stress trauma she had no idea that in that school children were being tortured, terrorized and abused. Surely the same can't be said of the parents of these children attending this school now? Has this publicity cut down on the overall numbers of children attending this school over recent years at all?
    —
    Make love not war
    Helen Barratt | 04/14/12 | 03:46 AM
    I know that most people who are writing had never had to deal with a kid who is in a higher state of danger to self and others. If you ever be in such situations like I have been in, (not in JRC) then you will have a more better light thrown on these techniques. I am a behavior therapist by profession.

    Anonymous (not verified) | 04/15/12 | 10:44 AM
    kwombles
    Actually, you have no idea as to what experiences the people writing have had. Whether you think you have "a more better light" on this or not, these shocks and being restrained for seven hours without break, without food and water, is torture and abuse. It is assault.  If you think any differently, especially if you have watched the video, then your moral compass is seriously off-kilter.
    —
    “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” --MLK, Jr.
    Kim Wombles | 04/15/12 | 12:53 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    There is NO excuse that would qualify this as behavioral therapy.  "Aversion therapy", indeed.  Why not just beat them with a stick?  Isn't that "aversion therapy" too? 

    There's no scientific basis for such treatment beyond the abuse that is supposed to modify behavior or garner obedience.  If that's the only tools a therapist feels they have, then they should have their license revoked.  You cannot tell me that we can work with dangerous animals or dangerous criminals, and yet in "therapy" we're forced to employ torture?  That's bullshit, plain and simple.
    Gerhard Adam | 04/15/12 | 18:27 PM
    And your a jackass. Get out of the field. You don't even write your real name you abusive piece of crap.

    Zoe (not verified) | 04/16/12 | 21:14 PM
    I am not a therapist. The only thing I am licensed for is driving. I dont think it takes a degree to realize that the kid not taking his jacket off was endangering himself or anyone else. Mabe it was cold in there but instead of trying to figure out why Andre did not want to take is coat off they try to electocute him. This story is sickening to me. Our criminals are treated better than our disabled citizens.

    Nanette (not verified) | 04/17/12 | 21:48 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    In truth, it doesn't really matter why he didn't want to take his coat off.  It does make you wonder what their "successes" look like though.

    If staff does not know how to handle a belligerent or even violent patient, then they are in the wrong occupation.  {... and before anyone asks ... yes, I have had to deal with violent psychiatric patients, so I know how strong and aggressive they can be].  However, that still serves as no excuse to engage in torture as a means of trying to modify behavior. 
    Gerhard Adam | 04/17/12 | 22:05 PM
    Although the Judge Rotenberg Center is the only facility in the United States (maybe the world) to shock children as a punishment, abuse of this sort is extremely common in residential "treatment" centers for "troubled" teens. In fact the Government Accountability Office (GAO) did a number of reports on the issue (sources will be given). They had this and many other horrifying things to say:

    1. GAO found thousands of allegations of abuse…GAO could not identify a more concrete number of allegations because it could not locate a single Web site, federal agency, or other entity that collects comprehensive nationwide data.
    2. During 2005 alone, 33 states reported 1,619 staff members involved in incidents of abuse in residential programs. GAO could not identify a more concrete number of allegations because it could not locate a single Web site, federal agency, or other entity that collects comprehensive nationwide data.
    GAO Investigation Documents/Video:
    http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08146t.pdf
    http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08713t.pdf
    http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09719t.pdf
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdhsk-T6krs (VIDEO of testimony to US Congress)

    One can, of course, extrapolate that if nobody was keeping track on a national level and that oversight varies widely from State to State (Missouri for example has no licensing, accreditation or approval requirements for private schools) that there are many more perpetrators, particularly in the 17 States not represented in the report. Furthermore, one may easily assume that each staff member, on average, was involved in more than one case of abuse. Finally, the news reports of abusive facilities are abundant, though often ignored and rarely making the national press. I will throw just a handful out there, in a moment.

    Another horrifying report by the Department of Justice says that 12% of inmates in juvenile detention report sexual abuse, mostly by staff (9,000 minors interviewed). In some facilities as many as 30% report being raped.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/opinion/15fri3.html?_r=1

    Finally, a few resources on individual schools:
    Articles Concerning Mt. Bachelor Academy/Other Facilities (Maia Szalavitz):
    http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1891082,00.html
    http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/12/former-students-of-a-school-for-tr...
    http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/07/new-efforts-to-crack-down-on-resid...
    http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/05/increasingly-internet-activism-hel...

    PBS Montana: Who's Watching the Kids?
    http://watch.montanapbs.org/video/1430387622/

    Picture of a Child in the High Impact (WWASP) Dog Cages, High Impact was a particularly abusive facility:
    http://www.google.com/imgres?q=high+impact+dog+cages&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw...

    St. John's military Academy (branded students, broken legs, shattered eye socket):
    http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/kan-military-school-seeks-dismissal-a...
    http://www.hutchnews.com/Localregional/st--johns

    Family First Boot Camp (Warning: disturbing videos included):
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/kelvin-sgt-mac-mcfarland-boot-c...

    If you really want to lose your cookies, look up World Wide Association of Specialty Programs, Straight inc., and Elan. Material on WWASP is most readily available; however, Straight and Elan (essentially a particularly nasty Straight clone) are templates for the modern industry. if you really want to dig deep, look up Synanon, a militant anti-drug cult responsible for the tactics at Mount Bachelor Academy (Elan and Straight use the same tactics of humiliation, and sometimes WWASP too).

    And concerning the effectiveness (they aren't):
    Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health) says that "programs limited to scare tactics...toughness" are largely ineffective:
    http://consensus.nih.gov/2004/2004YouthViolencePreventionSOS023html.htm

    Richard Linder (not verified) | 04/20/12 | 20:56 PM
    My name is Chris and I also have autism and i am appauled (but not at all suprised by what this man is doing, I too have dealt with and grew up with professionals in the public school system, Individuals who were supposed to be caring and knowledgeble. However, shockingly it is, often not the case and I have a theory for this which would take too long to explain. However let me put it to all of you who are in the audience like this, What the insituions and the professionals who run them do is not to care for the vulnerable, but rather to enforce a Nazi state of keeping the "defects" from normal human society and punishing them thru eugenic policies. The saddening fact is that
    this man will probably be allowed to get away with his agenda of carrying thru his barbism on his victims, because society so long as people believe that there are a handicapped and see a group any people of people as "subhuman" and don't give any thought to the consequences. (It is my firm belief that humans are driven by pleasure rather than by principle.) Therefore, I believe that unless the "disabled" can be found of any societal value schools like these shall continue to be open and quacks like Dr. Isreal ( I call him Junior Mengele) shall continue to prosper.

    'If you tell a lie often enough ,no matter how big it is it will be accepted as the truth"

    Adolph Hitler

    Anonymous (not verified) | 04/20/12 | 23:22 PM
    My name is Chris and I also have autism and i am appauled (but not at all suprised by what this man is doing, I too have dealt with and grew up with professionals in the public school system, Individuals who were supposed to be caring and knowledgeble. However, shockingly it is, often not the case and I have a theory for this which would take too long to explain. However let me put it to all of you who are in the audience like this, What the insituions and the professionals who run them do is not to care for the vulnerable, but rather to enforce a Nazi state of keeping the "defects" from normal human society and punishing them thru eugenic policies. The saddening fact is that
    this man will probably be allowed to get away with his agenda of carrying thru his barbism on his victims, because society so long as people believe that there are a handicapped and see a group any people of people as "subhuman" and don't give any thought to the consequences. (It is my firm belief that humans are driven by pleasure rather than by principle.) Therefore, I believe that unless the "disabled" can be found of any societal value schools like these shall continue to be open and quacks like Dr. Isreal ( I call him Junior Mengele) shall continue to prosper.

    'If you tell a lie often enough ,no matter how big it is it will be accepted as the truth"

    Adolph Hitler

    Anonymous (not verified) | 04/20/12 | 23:22 PM
    What is happening to the Sovereign United States of America? The problem is that the sovereign U.S. citizens of this Sovereign Nation do not comprehend the power of their Constitutional Rights. It is cannibal to see educated people of our Nation act in such barbarrack manner. It is time that we rid our Courts of renegade Judges, so that The People can restore their Civil Sovereign Powers and trully make this The Nation that is a beacon to the rest of The World. All of the people of this Center must be prosecuted that initiate the idea of such horrendous discipline of children and those also, who carryout such instructions... Reverend Ira L Lewis, Austin, TX trirason@gmail.com. I want to stay abreast as to the outcome of what happens in this case and those that happen to other children, there. What does Ms. Jones mean when she say what she saw (three days) later, when she went and saw her son? Thank You.

    Reverend Ira L Lewis (not verified) | 05/05/12 | 13:58 PM
    Gerhard Adam
    You need to be aware that this is no renegade judge.  This is a judge that has to make a tough decision that has little political support, contrary evidence from experts, and the support of parents who's children at actually there.

    So, until there's a legal basis for the judge to act, he truly would be a renegade if he simply ignored the law and found them all guilty.  It would also be a waste of time, since such a decision would be easily overturned on appeal.
    Gerhard Adam | 05/05/12 | 15:33 PM