Jaylen Brown meets with Mass. legislators, advocates for ‘Raise the Age’ bill
“I think that we have a lot of places to improve and a lot of things to improve in our society, and I think 'Raise the Age' is a perfect place to start.”
Nearly 12 hours after scoring 25 points in a close victory over the Pacers, Celtics star Jaylen Brown arrived at the Massachusetts State House on Wednesday to advocate for the “Raise the Age” bill.
The proposed bill would gradually raise the age of criminal responsibility to 21, meaning that 18 to 20-year-olds stay in the juvenile system, where they must attend school and rehabilitation programs.
This particular age group — referred to as ’emerging adults’ — has the largest recidivism rate (i.e. re-incarceration rate), with 78 percent being re-arraigned within three years.
“I think all of us in this room, including myself, were one decision away from being in a different situation. As society continues to evolve, I think the system that serves it should evolve as well,” Brown said to a panel of Massachusetts legislators.
In the juvenile justice system, at-risk young adults are offered support, education, and mental health resources to avoid recidivism. According to a study by the CDC, adolescents in a juvenile justice system had a 34 percent lower recidivism rate than those who were placed in the adult criminal justice system.
“I think that we have a lot of places to improve and a lot of things to improve in our society, and I think ‘Raise the Age’ is a perfect place to start,” Brown said. “I think here in Boston the incarceration rate is affected more in the Black and brown communities. So to be able to be an advocate on such a cause is a no-brainer to me, so I’m happy to be here.”
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, team president Rich Gotham, and vice president of team operations and organizational growth Allison Feaster joined Brown at the State House. The four of them represented the entire Celtics organization, who have shown unwavering support for the bill since it’s initial hearing in September.
Before an in-season tournament game against the Nets on Nov. 10, Brown grabbed a mic and spoke directly to Bostonians from the parquet.
His teammates, who donned “Raise the Age” warmup shirts, have joined in the advocacy as well, regularly supporting team initiatives.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has been another supporter of the bill.
“My wife was in criminal justice and she was a probation officer and we saw, just sometimes how the system can put people back and how it can hold people back and put them in even tougher situations in where they’re at,” Mazzulla said in November, following an in-season tournament game that kicked off with a speech from Brown about the bill.
“And so, this bill is important to a lot of people because of what it can offer. So just grateful to be a part of an organization that’s doing that, and the campaign starts tonight, and hopefully people can learn more about it,” Mazzula said.
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