ASAN Statement On JRC At Association for Behavior Analysis International Conference

http://goo.gl/xvZ0j5

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network strongly condemns the Association for Behavior Analysis International for their decision to feature the Judge Rotenberg Center at their 2015 annual conference. The Judge Rotenberg Center, which uses contingent electric shock to modify the behavior of disabled students and has been condemned by the United Nation’s special rapporteur on torture, is listed as both a presenter as well as a Bronze sponsor for the ABAI annual conference from May 22nd–26th.

As specified in the conference materials, sponsorship indicates that the “ABAI Convention Sponsors have been approved by the Organizational Review Committee as being aligned with ABAI’s mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice (p. 19).” In addition to sponsorship, the Judge Rotenberg Center will maintain a booth and present 3 separate sessions.