Torture not Treatment - Disability Rights International

TORTURE NOT TREATMENT
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Methodology and Sources ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
The Judge Rotenberg Center Program ................................................................................................................. 6
Critique of aversive treatment from research and policy ................................................................................... 10
Findings: The Use of Aversives at JRC .................................................................................................................... 12
Electric shock.................................................................................................................................................... 12
Restraints ......................................................................................................................................................... 15
Provocation of bad behavior ............................................................................................................................. 18
Food deprivation .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Creating social isolation .................................................................................................................................... 20
Aversives for harmless behavior ....................................................................................................................... 20
Lack of Legal Protection against Torture and Ill-Treatment .................................................................................... 21
Protections under International Law ................................................................................................................. 22
Pain is severe ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Pain is inflicted intentionally ......................................................................................................................... 25
Pain is inflicted for a prohibited purpose ....................................................................................................... 25
Acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity ............................................... 28
Lack of protection under Federal Law ............................................................................................................... 28
Lack of protection under State Law ................................................................................................................... 29
Massachusetts law permits torture or inhumane treatment .......................................................................... 31
Laws on physical restraint violates Convention against Torture ..................................................................... 32
Domestic Remedies Have Failed ........................................................................................................................... 33
Futility of current oversight regime ................................................................................................................... 34
Deaths and subsequent legal challenges ........................................................................................................... 35
New York’s attempts to limit use of aversives ................................................................................................... 37
Recent incidents of abuse ................................................................................................................................. 38
Massachusetts recertification in 2009 ............................................................................................................... 39
Conclusions and Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 41
Appendix 1 – Media Coverage of the JRC .............................................................................................................. 43
Appendix 2—JRC Employee Confidentiality Agreement ......................................................................................... 45