Comments on: Shock in a Backpack

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:33:11 +0000

These places are nothing short of a Guantanamo Bay for children! What sort of insanity is this? This is the 21st century. What happend to science, care and research. The slightly annoying things in every day life that do not realy bother the rest of us, are magnified many times over for autistic child. Autistic children/adults have shown in research and under observation (proper research) that the ability to operate in every day society is perfectly achievable.
I work with autistic adults and my sons attend a mainstream school that has autistic children in class with every other child, and they are NOT dissruptive and badly behaved because the teachers have an understanding of what they are about. Sometimes it’s about playing to there strengths. Most Autistic children/adults operate on a much higher level than the rest of us.
Electric shocks for haveing autism is nothing short of child abuse and must be stopped. We have the capacity/knowledge to research, help and care for these children in a proper manner in a modern 21st century country-so why is this pathetic backwards abuse going on?

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:15:28 +0000

Some parents have claimed that they had “no other option” and that the treatment was a “last resort”; I don’t know the particulars of the circumstances for these families, but this particular treatment seems more than questionable.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:04:01 +0000

if this lady had problems with this type of treatment, she should not have enrolled him in it. if this child could not listen to the people maybe he needs a different type of therapy. why did it took so long to do something about it, 18 months thats 15 months too long if you ask me.

By: Autism Vox

Autism Vox — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 09:47:49 +0000

[...] Use of Shock Therapy about the Massachusetts Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC). The JRC uses electric shock transmitted by a device called the Graduated Electronic Decelerator (see a picture here) in [...]

By: The JRC, a prank phone call, and 2 students get shocked

The JRC, a prank phone call, and 2 students get shocked — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:43:15 +0000

[...] mental retardation at the Judge Rotenburg Center in Canton, MA—-aversion therapy that uses electric shock transmitted by a device called the Graduated Electronic Decelerator—-and most people will [...]

By: Autism Vox » Aversive Stimulation, Improper Behavior, and the JRC

Autism Vox » Aversive Stimulation, Improper Behavior, and the JRC — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:13:20 +0000

[...] This story, which began by showing the awfulness of autism—the kaka of such a “devastating” disorder—can then introduce the JRC as providing a solution, and a solution that works, when none could be found. After noting that “[t]he Dohertys said they were willing to try aversive stimulation to save their son from self-destruction,” the ABC News story describes the electric shock device used by the JRC, the Graduated Electronic Decelerator. A student wears a backpack containing the transmitter that administers the sock via electrodes attached to the student’s arms, legs and torso. The ABC News story continues: Though many people object to this type of punishment, Dr. Matthew Israel, the founder and director of the J.R.C., said “the device is simply a device that administers a two-second shock to the surface of the skin that has absolutely no side effects, [and] is extremely effective as a corrective procedure to encourage children not to show violent behavior, not to show self-abusive behavior.” [...]

By: Autism Vox » A question for Lenny Schafer

Autism Vox » A question for Lenny Schafer — Fri, 26 May 2006 14:49:02 +0000

[...] A Question of ‘Tough Love’ vs. Torture [on electric shock at the JRC] [...]

By: Autism Vox » GED SIBIS, and other weapons

Autism Vox » GED SIBIS, and other weapons — Tue, 23 May 2006 20:34:17 +0000

[...] The Graduated Electronic Decelerator (GED) mentioned in the previous post, Shock in a backpack, is described by Matthew L Israel, Ph.D., as an aversive therapy stimulator whose “role is to receive the electromagnetic signal sent by the remote control device, and to generate an immediate skin shock.” Dr. Israel notes that Skin shock is not generally used in treatment programs today. This is due to an unfortunate current cultural bias against aversive treatment procedures as well as a general lack of information among the public concerning skin shock’s remarkable effectiveness, its total lack of negative side effects, its safety, and the fact that students often choose it over alternative treatments. [...]