Comments on: Judge Rotenberg Center – latest research

By: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 09:15:25 +0000

Anon,
in what capacity did you have access to these students’ records. Your email address suggests you are an attorney and not qualified to make clinical judgements. Is Matthew Israel paying you as well?

By: christschool

christschool — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:49:35 +0000

Self injurious or violent behavior isn’t even the majority of the cases where the GED is being used (not that its acceptable even in those cases). So to constantly use that as an excuse for what is happening at JRC is simply a way to try and justify an obscene practice. Has anyone even bothered to look at Dr. Worsham’s presentation on the use of GED at JRC? There is even video showing JRC staff using the GED for non-violent non SIB behavior for god’s sake.

To anon: I also encourage you to look at the video because if your looking at paperwork of these students, you should know that Dr. Worsham even admits in that presentation that he has been creative in describing behavior to the court so as to get permission to use the GED. Behavior such as a “student” saying to a teacher “you stink”. Can you imagine if public schools could strap a 25 lb. sack on a child with three electrodes and could shock a student for simply being disrespectful?

Is this the “last resort measure”? I don’t think so.

By: Maya M

Maya M — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:14:44 +0000

I somehow fail to see how people see the fact that “psychiatric residential schools” toss out “difficult” young patients/students as a reason not to blame these schools, but to accept JRC and the methods used there.
If there were no JRC, what would be done with these young people?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:20:40 +0000

First off I’d like to say I have personally reviewed some of the paperwork for the several of these children who are students right now. There are certain court procedures which must be instituted first before this could even get initiated. That is, they must first try a certain level of regular behavioral modification, which is actually the strong point of the program. Unfortunately, many children with behavioral disabilities, especially serious ones, do not respond well to simple contracts and rewards, and often will bang their heads against tables/walls, hit others, themselves, throw things, push others, scratch their eyes out, their skin out, etc. etc. The short term here is very important. While I believe the treatment is not quite effective in the long term, it is, however, powerful in the short. Why? Because these students get rejected from other, more “psychiatric” residential schools in a heartbeat. They would often require the students to adjust doses of medication in the upward sense just to warehouse these children. Now, if an autistic child with a severe violent and self-injurious tendency begins to gain weight rapidly (which often happens as a side effect of some of these psychotropic medications), then more problems occur. These kids mostly sleep all day. Judge Rotenberg at least teaches them the damn ABCs and takes them on field trips to petting zoos and stuff like that (Go visit yourself if you don’t believe me). The fact is, the JRC is simply the last resort measure for many of these kids. 50% of them receive this intervention, so it’s obviously for the lower half of the children with the absolute most difficult manifestations of disabilities.

By: laurentius-rex

laurentius-rex — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:20:54 +0000

Those great America heroes John Wayne and Clint Eastwood wood have sorted it. Do you feel lucky Mr Israel you punk, you come walking down my street and I tell yer now, it ain’t an electric shock nor a gun you gotta fear, I shall beat you down mano a mano.

By: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:05:30 +0000

Harold

I do not support the use of aversives. Do you?

By: Harold L Doherty

Harold L Doherty — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:31:53 +0000

Mr Stanton

You did not answer my question, again. Playing diversion games adds nothing to the discussion.

I take it then you feel it is best to let some autistic persons continue to hurt themselves, to the point of brain injury, self mutilation or self starvation, rather than use an aversive in modifying their dangerous behaviour.

By: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:48:37 +0000

Harold,
is it fair to conclude from your remarks that you approve of the methods used by the JRC?

Regarding your hypothetical question to me, what do you mean by “a two second skin sting type of shock?” Is that a GED1 or a GED4? How many milliAmps is an acceptable level of pain? And how long should this take? Israel reports inmates being on the GED for between 1 and 9 years with a “surprising rare” frequency of one shock every two days.

By: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:54:24 +0000

Patrick,
Ted knows all about the JRC. He is employed as a PR consultant by Matthew Israel.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:43:15 +0000

Ted,
Previous stories about the JRC let us know that CES is used for behaviors as ‘dangerous’ as leaving ones seat or speaking out of turn. I find your claim that only dangerous behaviors are addressed to be a falsehood, likely based on ignorance of other publications about this facility.