The National Crime Forum was set up by the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, to "canvass comment, assessments and suggestions on crime and crime-related issues from the general public and from national and international experts". The Forum held nine public hearings, beginning in February 1998 in Dun Laoghaire Town Hall.
Public hearings were also held in Cork, Limerick and Sligo.
The members of the Forum were: Prof Bryan McMahon, chairman; Mary Butler, Department of the Taoiseach; Pat Byrne, Garda Commissioner; Nicholas Caesar, Irish Council of People with Disabilities; Bob Carroll/Sarah Scott, National Council on Ageing and Older People; Tim Dalton, Secretary General, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Ciairin De Buis, National Youth Council of Ireland; Jimmy Duggan, Department of Health and Children; Joe Egan, Assistant Garda Commissioner; Fergal Foley, the Bar Council; Judge William Hamill, District Court Judge; Tom Hoare, ICTU; Pat Ivory, IBEC; Stephen Kearney, Cork Corporation; John Kelly, Department of Education and Science; Michael Kemp, Irish Insurance Federation; Brian Kenny, Barnardo's; Alice Leahy, Trust; Vincent Long, Department of Social Community and Family Affairs; Philip Maguire, Dublin Corporation; James McGuill, Law Society of Ireland; Pat McLoughlin, Eastern Health Board; Una McManus, National Women's Council of Ireland; June Meehan, Combat Poverty Agency; Joan O'Brien, Victim Support; Michael ffrench O'Carroll; John O'Connell, Pavee Point; Paul O'Mahony; Jim Quigley, Muintir na Tire; Sean Quinn, Department of the Environment and Local Government; Martin Tansey, Probation and Welfare Service; Michael Tuite, Chambers of Commerce of Ireland; Jim Woods, Prison Governors.