Matthew Israel

Matthew Israel is an American behavioral psychologist born in 1933. He has worked in the field of psychology, focusing on behavioral aspects. Israel is known for establishing the Judge Rotenberg Center, an institution that has been at the center of controversy due to its methods of treating disabled students.

Israel's work at the Judge Rotenberg Center has been marked by the development of the Graduated Electronic Decelerator, a device used as part of the center's treatment approach. However, the use of this device has been widely criticized by advocacy groups and international organizations, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, which has condemned it as a form of torture. This controversy has made Israel a figure of significant debate within the field of psychology and beyond.