2023 Update

This is a personal blog started in 2011. It is no longer active, updated, or maintained. Unfortunately, it appears that I've also irreparably broken some of the links by accident.

Judge Rotenberg Center

As of April 2016, I have moved this page to my other website and the new, much expanded version is now at www.autistichoya.net/judge-rotenberg-center/. I won't be editing or updating the older version here anymore. Please change any links!

I've posted a lot about the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts, so here are all of my posts and uploads related to the JRC, as well as a smattering of other links and resources that may be helpful to researchers, advocates, scholars, activists, or anyone who cares about stopping torture and abuse of disabled people.

The JRC is a residential facility (they also operate several group homes) notorious for their use of aversive electric shock as punishment for its disabled residents, as well as their use of other abusive practices, such as prolonged restraint and seclusion, food deprivation, sensory assault, and other physical abuse. They have been open since 1971.

I have been increasingly involved with efforts to close the JRC since 2010. I have drafted letters to federal and state entities regarding challenges to the use and legality of aversives. I have testified about the JRC in front of members of the Massachusetts legislature (the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities) and the Commissioner of Developmental Services. I have also been part of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's policy advocacy efforts regarding the JRC.

Last updated on 6 September 2014! 

Photo: Shain Neumeier and I at Occupy the JRC protest at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, on 9 January 2013. Shain's holding a poster that says "Stop the Shocks" with icons of lightning bolts. I'm holding two -- one says, "people not experiments," and the other says, "Shocked for... hugging staff, swearing, nagging, getting out of seat, taking off coat, screaming, tensing up, closing eyes, raising hand. BAN the GED." Photo by Taylor C. Hall.

Autistic Hoya's writings

Uploads to the Autistic Hoya YouTube page

Andre McCollins's Trial Coverage
Shain M. Neumeier, an autistic and multiply-disabled attorney (and my partner), attended the civil trial against the Judge Rotenberg Center for shocking autistic teenager Andre McCollins 31 times in seven hours in 2002.

Selected News Articles, Letters, and Reports

Other Websites



7 comments:

  1. Lydia, thank you for putting this together. It is nice to have all of the info for this shameful place. I hope people take notice.

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  2. Ditto on the above -- very good work on assembling this list of resources. You may want to include the New York Board of Education report as well, however...

    Or perhaps a few pieces on the Linda Cornelison affair.

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    Replies
    1. Added the New York report and the AutCom piece on Linda's story.

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  3. Saw the CBS Evening News story on this legalized torture chamber, and am so hapoy tbat all of your efforts are getting the press and attention these disadvantaged students and residents need. God bless you for all you have done to make the public aware of these atrocities.

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  4. Thank you for trying to help those who can't speak for themselves. Vulnerable people attract predators who enjoy inflicting pain. unbelievable that it's out in the open, everyone knows, and yet this house of horror is still open!

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  5. BCABA candidate with ADD/sensory processing issues here, and I'm really embarrassed that ABAI allowed the JRC at their conference.

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  6. I have been trying to find ways to get this holocaust camp closed as well. If you find a way please post and send me an invite on FB. ...

    ReplyDelete

Hi! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I manually approve comments, so sometimes it takes a few weeks, months, or even years to find and approve comments. This delay is normal. As this is a personal blog, I also reserve the right not to publish comments.

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