Thomas Radecki

Thomas Edward Radecki (born 1946)[1] is a former American psychiatrist, founding member of the National Coalition on Television Violence and convicted criminal. He is known for his controversial views on the effects of portrayals of violence on teens and his opposition to depictions of violence in any form. He started serving an 11- to 22-year prison sentence for charges related to the prescription of opioids in July, 2016.

Thomas Radecki
Born1946 (age 73–74)
NationalityAmerican
Occupationpsychiatrist
Known forCriminal activity, opposition to portrayals of violence

Education

He attended Ohio State College of Medicine, (class of 1973),[2] where he received his MD. His postgraduate education was done at the Philadelphia General Hospital (06/30/1974) and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (06/30/1976).[1]

He received his Juris Doctor (law degree) after studies at the Oklahoma City University School of Law (1995-1996), and the Southern Illinois University School of Law (1996-1998).

Career

He practiced or was licensed to practice as a doctor in West Virginia (1977-1979) and Kentucky.[1]

In 1985 Radecki cited a fictitious letter written by a character in the novel Mazes and Monsters as "proof" that the game Dungeons & Dragons had caused the death of gamers.[3] In 1987 he testified as an expert on the effects of Dungeons & Dragons on behalf of Darren Molitor (convicted of murder in 1985) at an appeal, along with Patricia Pulling. The court rejected his testimony.[4] He also testified in at least 12 other cases, all unsuccessfully.

It later emerged that his claims of being on the faculty of the University of Illinois College of Medicine were based solely in being listed as "clinical faculty" (signifying that he was accredited to practice at a teaching hospital). He continued to claim this faculty status for years after accreditation was removed in 1985.[5]

In March 1992, the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation revoked his medical license for a five-year minimum as a result of his "engaging in immoral conduct of an unprofessional nature with a patient".[6]

Radecki resigned from NCTV, turning it over to a colleague, Carole Lieberman. His request for early reinstatement of his license was later rejected, following complaints about his Surrogate Parenting Institute, a fertility clinic. His license was later restored in 2002,[7] and he was placed on probation, which ended in 2008.[8]

He was also RD for the International Coalition Against Violent Entertainment, which published a 1988 study of films and the level of violence therein,[9] as well as a board member of the Parents Music Resource Center.[10]

He has advocated for the use of Tramadol as a replacement of Suboxone.[11]

In September 2012, Radecki voluntarily surrendered his Pennsylvania medical license while facing allegations of unprofessional conduct with patients. The allegations included claims Radecki traded drugs to patients in exchange for sex.[12]

In August 2013, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced Radecki's arrest for over-prescribing, trading opioid-addiction treatment drugs for sex[13] through a program he ran in several counties called "Doctors & Lawyers for a Drug Free Youth".[14] In June 2016, he was sentenced to an 11 to 22-year prison term as a result of the case.[15] In February 2018, a judge rejected a request that his sentence be reduced because of his age and because of what Radecki claimed was improperly introduced evidence in his case.[14]

Quotes

He is well known for the following quote:

"The evidence in these cases is really quite impressive. There is no doubt in my mind that the game Dungeons and Dragons is causing young men to kill themselves and others. The game is one of non-stop combat and violence. Although I am sure that the people at TSR mean no harm, that is exactly what their games are causing. Based on player interviews and game materials, it is clear to me that this game is desensitizing players to violence, and, causing an increased tendency to violent behavior."

— Thomas Radecki, [16]

Articles
  • Thomas E. Radecki, "Violent Behavior Images Diet of Media Violence," Social Alternatives, May 1987, pp. 8–21
  • Radecki, Thomas E.; C. Dianne Zdunich (Winter 1993). "Tobacco Sales to Minors in 97 US and Canadian Communities". Tobacco Control. 2 (4): 300–305. doi:10.1136/tc.2.4.300. JSTOR 20206915. PMC 1759291.
  • Radecki, Thomas E. (1994). "The sales of lottery tickets to minors in Illinois". Journal of Gambling Studies. 10 (3): 213–218. doi:10.1007/BF02104963.
  • DiFranza, Joseph R.; Peck, Richard M.; Radecki, Thomas E.; Savageau, Judith A. (February 2001). "What Is the Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Enforcing a Prohibition on the Sale of Tobacco to Minors?". Preventive Medicine. 32 (2): 168–174. doi:10.1006/pmed.2000.0795.
  • Radecki, T. E (9 July 2005). "Calcium and vitamin D in preventing fractures: Vitamin K supplementation has powerful effect". BMJ. 331 (7508): 108. doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7508.108. PMC 558626. PMID 16002893.
gollark: That's generally just called "negative externalities".
gollark: Governments are especially bad because you don't really get alternatives for a given area.
gollark: I support somewhat government-regulated capitalismism.
gollark: Oh, or you could read cyberpunk novels.
gollark: Maybe... what is it again, Austrian economists? They say things.

References
  1. "West Virginia Board of Medicine Licensee Search". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015.
  2. "Thomas E Radecki, MD". Vitals.com.
  3. Hicks, Robert D. In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1991; p. 288
  4. "FindACase - 03/31/87 State Missouri v. Darren Molitor". mo.findacase.com.
  5. Joseph Laycock (12 February 2015). Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic Over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds. Univ of California Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-520-28491-3.
  6. "Down the Tubes". Entertainment Weekly (150–151). 25 December 1992.
  7. Tony Sanders (May 2002). "ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DISCIPLINARY REPORT FOR MAY 2002" (PDF). Retrieved 18 May 2012. Thomas E. Radecki, Decatur – medical (036-059814) and controlled substance licenses restored and placed on indefinite probation.
  8. "Information found on: Thomas E Radecki MD, 36059814, Clarion, PA". State of Illinois : Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
  9. Rose Dyson. "Violence In The Media". Peace Magazine. 5 (Dec 1989–Jan 1990, number 6): 12. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  10. "Radecki, Thomas". The Gaming Advocacy Encyclopedia. The Escapist. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  11. Brunk, Doug (February 2008). "Tramadol appears to stem abuse of opiates". Clinical Psychiatry News. Coronado, Calif. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  12. "Local doctor accused of exchanging drugs for sex permanently surrenders medical license". WJAC. 27 September 2012. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  13. "Attorney General Kane announces arrest of Pa. psychiatrist for over-prescribing, trading opioid-addiction treatment drugs for sex". Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  14. "Psychiatrist convicted in drugs-for-sex scheme isn't too old for prison, Pa. court says".
  15. Weidenboerner, Katie. "Clarion doctor sentenced to over one decade in prison for cash & sex for scripts scheme". thecourierexpress.com.
  16. Scheele, Tim (1 May 2003). "Press Release From Washington About D&D". Computers for Christ. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
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