Mindfulness and Juvenile Justice with Judge Frank Szymanski

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea speaks with Judge Frank Szymanski, a longtime juvenile court judge in Detroit. Frank shares how trauma shapes behaviour, why courts must ask “What was done to them?,” and how mindfulness-based interventions in schools and courts cut costs while improving outcomes. From yoga to evidence-backed meditation programs, his focus is simple: deliver peace first, and better decisions follow.

With decades of experience in law and education, Judge Frank Szymanski has become a leading voice in conscious justice and youth rehabilitation. As a juvenile court judge, author of Identity Design: Design the Identity You Need to Get the Life You Want, and a motivational speaker, he blends legal insight with human development. Beyond the courtroom, Frank works with schools, community programmes, and mindfulness organisations to build systems that prioritise prevention over punishment. His ongoing mission: bring peace to chaotic lives and teach both citizens and professionals to train the mind daily, because, as he says, “our minds deserve the same care as our teeth.”

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