This paper responds to a court brief of amici curiae asserting that mental retardation reduces culpability in capital offenses. The paper argues that the position makes unwarranted categorical assumptions about mental retardation, fails to consider individualized and situation-specific determinants of culpability, and undermines respect and value…

Four responses and a rebuttal are presented to EC 603 716, focusing on "protections" from the state for individuals with mental retardation, the vulnerability of individuals with mental retardation, the need to take individual abilities into account, and the unusual uncertainty in determining the justice of the verdict imposing the death penalty.…

This introduction to several articles on punishment in treating persons with mental retardation notes the ethical dilemmas involved and offers the editor's view that research on the side effects and relative efficacy of various treatments for reducing self-injurious behaviors should continue, and clinical practice should be guided by research…

Author responds to comments (EC 232 033-037) on his paper (EC 232 032) concerning use of aversive therapy or punishment with mentally retarded persons. Paper notes ideological connotations often implied in the term "punishment" and the lack of response to the distinction made in his paper between this and the functional relations…

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper states that a resolution of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps calling for termination of the use of aversive procedures is appropriately ideologically based as long as continued behavioral research into positive means of controlling behavior is not discouraged. (DB)

The conflict between viewing aversive therapeutic interventions with mentally retarded persons from either an ideological or scientific perspective is examined. It is concluded that some of those who reject aversive therapeutic interventions do so out of a poor understanding of behavioral science and a primarily ideological frame of reference.…

This paper comments on James Mulick's paper (EC 232 032) and views Mulick as rigidly committed to the behavioral paradigm, selectively evaluating data, and misrepresenting the opposition. Because aversive procedures are not wholly effective, positive, educative interventions are encouraged. (DB)

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper questions the value of the rhetoric used and motives ascribed to both proponents or opponents of the use of aversive therapy with persons having severe mental retardation. Questions concerning distinguishing aversive therapies from abusive treatment and identifying dehumanizing treatment are…

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper agrees with the need for careful use of aversive techniques to treat severe behavior disorders of persons who are mentally retarded but justifies such use on moral, legal, ethical, and practical bases as well as scientific ones. (DB)

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper encourages agreement in the field of mental retardation on the term "aversive"; new "outcome" standards for behavioral support; support that respects personal dignity; and fidelity of behavioral interventions in typical school and community settings. (DB)

An analysis of 396 articles (that included 706 participants) on the treatment of self-injurious behavior found the use of reinforcement-based interventions has increased during the past decade, whereas the use of punishment-based interventions has decreased slightly; both of these trends coincide with an increase in the use of functional…