The Alliance was formed in 1972 as a coalition of major NGOs having consultative status with the United Nations and dedicated to crime prevention and criminal justice improvements. The Alliance subsequently broadened its membership to include selected NGOs not in consultative status with UN bodies, but actively interested in crime and justice.

Organized at the instigation of William Clifford, the first Chief of the then Social Defense Section (now the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch) of the UN's Economic and Social Council, the Alliance was chaired by G.O.W. Mueller of the New York University during its early years.

The Alliance is currently chaired by , FWCC.

The Alliance Board Members can be found here.

To bring together in one worldwide and multi-disciplinary coalition representatives of non-governmental organizations engaged in research, teaching, practice, advocacy and reform in the fields of crime prevention and criminal justice.

To encourage scholarly, scientific and practical exchange and cooperation among the diverse NGOs engaged and interested in crime prevention and criminal justice throughout the world.

To foster worldwide criminal justice research, scholarship, education, training and advocacy within inter-governmental and governmental institutions as well as in academic and other public organizations and agencies.

To enhance the collective role of the Alliance members through cooperation among affiliated organizations with regard to programs, research projects, publications, conferences and other activities of mutual interest.

To encourage the flow of information and consultation among the international NGO community, the UN Secretariat, national UN delegations, and UN bodies responsible for international policies and programs for crime prevention and criminal justice, including the Centre for International Crime Prevention, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

To assist the UN in the identification of existing and emerging crime and justice issues, in the initiation of research studies and recommendations for action, and in supplying technical assistance in specific areas of Alliance competence.