The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of readiness to change as an influential factor in the working alliance with clients who have offended. This article provides a review of the literature on frameworks for offender rehabilitation and a working alliance model for forensic populations. Recidivism and stages of change, as evidence for the serious consideration of readiness as part of the working alliance, are discussed. A review of the literature on readiness to change in clients who have offended, as well as a visual representation of our model, are provided. Implications for research, theory, and practice are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]