Dakota County Judge Michael Mayer's path toward a career specializing in juvenile justice began with his own difficult upbringing on Chicago's South Side.
After living with his mother, a single parent suffering from mental health issues, Mayer spent much of his childhood at military boarding schools in what he described as a crowded city struggling with racial tension. He said his experience later inspired him to want to make things better for other children.
"Very few kids are born bad," Mayer said. "Usually something happens to them. I knew that early on."
Last month, Mayer received the A.L. Carlisle Child Advocacy Award from the Coalition of Juvenile Justice (CJJ) at its annual conference in Washington, D.C. The CJJ is a national coalition of state advisory groups and others who work to prevent juveniles from becoming entangled in the court system.
Mayer calls his own strategy in handling juvenile cases an "asset-based approach," in that he seeks to highlight something positive about each child. He also peppers them with questions: What are you reacting to? What's going on in your life that's making you do this?
"Nobody asks them those questions," he said.
Carrie Wasley, youth program specialist for the state's department of public safety, called Mayer's approachability a critical tool when dealing with juveniles.
"He talks to them in their language and looks them in the eye when speaking to them," she said.
