In 2010, Debbie Jacob faced a pivotal moment in her career as an educator at the Youth Training Centre (YTC). Overwhelmed by the fear of failing her students—teenagers incarcerated for violent crimes—she sought advice from Sgt. Roger Alexander, now the Minister of Homeland Security. His encouragement to continue teaching proved invaluable. Jacob’s experiences, documented in her book *Wishing for Wings*, highlight the transformative power of education and the importance of societal acceptance for troubled youth. She emphasizes that many of her students lacked positive male role models and felt abandoned by society, factors that often led them into crime. Jacob’s work at YTC and later at Port of Spain (PoS) Prison revealed a recurring pattern: minors involved in crimes were frequently influenced by older, more experienced criminals. Despite this, Jacob argues that treating young offenders as adults is not the solution. She criticizes Minister Alexander’s stance on trying minors as adults, pointing out that such measures fail to address the root causes of crime. Jacob calls for a focus on social reform and education, rather than punitive measures, to break the cycle of crime. She believes that many young offenders are redeemable and that society must take responsibility for its failures in providing adequate support and guidance to at-risk youth.