The major elements of the FPSDS are the community forensic psychiatric centers, Lima State Hospital (LSH), the courts which refer forensic clients, local and State corrections agencies, and the civil mental health institutions. The activities of these elements and the relationships among them are influenced by the legal and administrative environments at both the State and local levels. The activities and processes which occur within the FPSDS can be interpreted in terms of the functions which the system performs. These functions include information generation, decisionmaking, custody, and treatment. The information generation function is currently shifting from an institutional base at LSH to facilities less remote from clients' home communities. The decisionmaking function is shifting from the courts to the mental health professions, the custody function is shifting to the correctional and civil mental health facilities, and the treatment function is currently poorly defined within the FPSDS. The trend toward ever increasing referrals for forensic services shows no sign of abating, and the users of the services report significant unmet needs for services. There is a serious lack of coordination among the elements of the FPSDS. Moreover, the nature of the LSH population is changing; it is becoming more 'hardcore,' while at the same time consisting more and more of persons on competency commitments who have not been convicted. The dependence of the courts upon community forensic centers can be expected to increase. Inpatient facilities for many clients, special facilities for offenders requiring extra security, and special units in civil facilities are needed. Tables, footnotes, and additional recommendations are included. Survey questionnaires are appended.