Clinical relationships with forensic clients: A three-dimensional model

•The clinical relationship with mandatory treatment clients is challenging.•The challenge is ethical, professional, and impacts on the type of treatment offered.•Therapists' behavior is influenced by the narratives they adhere to in treatment.•Therapists deal with victims', offenders' and Justice's narratives.•A Tridimensional Model for mandatory treatment increases therapists' awareness.

This paper considers the clinical relationship with clients in mandatory treatment. In several countries, clients found guilty of committing a sexual or violent offense (often resulting in a jail sentence) are obliged by law to meet a psychotherapist. This mandatory treatment occurs both during the time in jail and in the community. The clinical relationship with these clients is a complex process involving the therapist, the client, and the courts. In this paper we describe some common factors that can facilitate or hinder the therapist's work in this situation.