Torture not Treatment - Disability Rights International

TORTURE NOT TREATMENT
According to MDRI interviews with the mother of an adolescent and with the attorney
representing the mother, one boy spent two years almost continually strapped to a chair. From
2007 to 2009, when the mother refused the use of the GED on her child, he was almost
continually strapped to a chair, until she was finally able to find another placement for him in a
supervised group home. 80
They had him in a “chest protector” – a strap on his shoulders, a strap over his middle,
over his crotch and leg straps too, if he acts up. – MDRI interview with the mother of a
former JRC student 81
He has been strapped to a chair for 2 years – MDRI interview with attorney
representing mother to get him out of JRC 82
According to this mother, the boy‘s only reprieve was when he was sleeping or being transported
from his residence to the main school. Even during transport, however, he was shackled and
handcuffed.
If students are non-compliant or aggressive, 4 or 5 staff will wrestle kids to the floor
and strap them to a board face down and then shock them. I have seen it more than
once. They yell “help” and “send someone.” They could be there like that for 12 hours
or more until they “complied.” – MDRI interview with former JRC teacher 83
They use the restraint board. Staff would take hold of them and get them on the ground
and bring the board into the room. Mechanical restraints on both arms and legs face
down and just left there. One student was in a classroom next to mine on GED. They
put her on the board and would shock her and shock her. I was put in a GED seat
board, strapped onto a chair. They turned a key to turn it on and it would automatically
trigger a shock if I stood up without asking. I was in the chair for several months. I
was also put in a room by myself and put in a 4-point chair – feet and chest tied to
chair. I was strapped to the chair, except when I was sleeping, for four months. –
MDRI interview with former JRC student 84
According to the JRC website and video, the school uses an automatic holster-like device,
attached to a chair, in which children are made to keep their hands. Removal of the hands from
the holster triggers an automatic shock. 85
It looked like a gun holster and they had to put their hands in there or automatically
get a shock. Some children are in the devices for days and weeks at a time… – MDRI
interview with former JRC teacher 86
One student, who suffered from seizure disorder and was labeled with a mild developmental
disability, was sent to JRC from a public school system, after they could no longer handle his
behaviors. He then spent seven years receiving a combination of shock and long-term restraint. 87
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