Newsday columnist, journalist, writer and prison reform advocate Debbie Jacob took what might many people might define as tragedy and turned it into something positive.
When she was affected by crime, Jacob decided to take the approach of trying to understand it. That led to her work with the Prison Service and the police Canine Branch, as well as the NGO, the Wishing for Wings Foundation, of which she is the president.
In turn, that work has led to her receiving the Chaconia Medal (Gold). She was one of the 2020 national-award recipients last Monday at President’s House, Port of Spain.
The US-born Jacob, who was recently made a citizen of TT, many years after she first applied, did not expect to receive a national award. She was simply doing what “her heart and soul said she needed to be doing,” she said in a phone interview with WMN.
“When it happened, the first thing that came to mind was that the inmates that I am so close to and the canine (unit) dogs that I am so close to – it is nice to see that work is being recognised.
“Those, for me, are the two most voiceless entities there are.”
As a writer, Jacob has always focused on giving a voice to the voiceless.
[caption id="attachment_944461" align="alignnone" width="1024"] US-born Debbie Jacob can now truly call TT her home after recently receiving her citizenship. - Mark Lyndersay[/caption]
She began her work with the Mounted and Canine Branch at the same time as she started her prison work, she said.
“Everybody knows about the prison work, but not very many people know about the work I have done with canines. And I needed that as a balance. They have always provided sanctuary for me, first to play with the retired dogs and then during the pandemic to play with the puppies – because the prison work is very rewarding, but also emotionally difficult.”
It has not been not easy to see some of the young men with potential in prison for over ten years now still awaiting their trials.
“What makes it even more difficult is that it is not getting better, it is getting worse. You can become really depressed with that work, so it is nice to have that balance...The canine police have given me that balance, to just get away from everything and play with the dogs.”
That led her to want to improve the conditions of police dogs. She has made possible the refurbishing of the kennels in Chaguaramas and Point Fortin. She has also worked on a retirement policy for the dogs and the police’s puppy programme.
Being around the police dogs allows Jacob “to get away from everything and not to think about anything, and simply experience pure joy.”
When she started working here, Jacob did not think she would be working with the Prison Service or win an award.
“When I started as a journalist, I always gravitated toward stories where people would have a voice. Normal people, average people that would not get it.
“Then I did a lot of entertainment features, because when I first came and we were covering calypso tents and covering events... I was really kind
