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Juvenile court handles minors below an age determined by each state who break the law by adjudicating the minor instead of following prosecution procedures used by the adult criminal court. The juvenile justice system focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment, and forensic psychology professionals serve in many different roles that are focused on rehabilitating the young offender either in community settings or in a juvenile correctional facility. These roles include, but are not limited to, probation or parole officer, social services case manager, or program supervisor and evaluator, and responsibilities include providing services for minors and their families. Forensic psychology professionals who have trained in mental health problems or who are licensed counselors typically assess adjudicated minors for mental health problems and either provide or refer for treatment.

Family court typically handles issues related to divorce and child custody determinations. A forensic psychology professional may assist the court in divorce cases by serving as a court mediator who facilitates co-parenting practices by the divorced parents to ensure that the children are being properly cared for. In some jurisdictions, the state has a statute to govern certification of court mediators. Another role of the forensic psychology professional is to assist the court in child custody disputes by conducting psychological evaluations of each parent to provide the court with information about the strengths and mental health needs of each parent. This assists the court in making an informed decision about child custody. Typically, but not always, licensed psychologists conduct these psychological evaluations.

Dependency court handles cases of child abuse and neglect. Each state has its own statutes that govern child protection services, but basically, a report about child abuse or neglect is made to the state-designated child protection officers who investigate the complaint. If there is sufficient evidence to warrant a court review, the case is referred to Dependency court to determine whether the parental management within the home is safe for the child or whether the child must be removed from the home and placed in foster care. Forensic psychology professionals serve in many different roles that are focused on assessing child and family needs and providing input to the court. These roles include social services case manager, foster parent program supervision and evaluation, and other responsibilities to help children and their families.

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