Ocasio-Cortez spoke at length on the effects a child’s surrounding conditions have on their actions. “When you have boys in that scenario, the problem is bigger than them. It’s about the conditions around the child." The representative went on to suggest investing in the greater wellbeing of at-risk teens as a potential solution to an ongoing issue in New York. “If we want to reduce crime in our cities, we also need to make investments in education, health care and mental health care.”