Sports

Celtics players wore Raise the Age shirts before Friday’s game. Here’s what they mean.

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Celtics players wore Raise the Age shirts
14
Nov

Celtics Use Platform to Raise Awareness for Raise the Age Bill

Before their first In-Season Tournament game on Friday, the Celtics drew attention to an important off-court issue: the Raise the Age bill. The bill would prosecute 18-20 year-olds under the juvenile system, rather than the adult system.

The Celtics wore Raise the Age Shirt during pregame warm-ups. Wing Jaylen Brown addressed the crowd at TD Garden, saying, “We are advocating for the Raise the Age bill. If you want to learn more, please visit Celtics.com/raisetheage.”

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Jayson Tatum The Celtics Raise The Age Shirt 1 1
The Celtics Raise The Age Shirt

The Celtics’ website cites statistics showing that adolescents prosecuted as juveniles are 34 percent less likely to reoffend than those prosecuted as adults. The website also notes that young adults in the adult system have the highest recidivism rate of any group, at 74 percent.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said, “The juvenile system emphasizes rehabilitation, which is likely why juvenile crime has decreased by 34 percent since 2013, when Massachusetts extended juvenile jurisdiction to include 17-year-olds.”

Mazzulla added, “I think this is an important issue for humanity, and I’m grateful to be a part of an organization that is working to change it.”

The Celtics are not the first team to advocate for the Raise the Age bill. In March, Brown and former Celtics Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon visited the White House to discuss a potential raise on the national level. Co-governor Steve Pagliuca has also testified in support of the Massachusetts bill.

The Celtics’ platform is a powerful tool for raising awareness of the Raise the Age bill and its potential benefits. By using their voices, the Celtics can help to ensure that all young people have a chance to succeed.

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