The Center for Crime Prevention in Lithuania has been founded on July 17, 1997. The founding of the Center has been initiated by the United Nations Development Programme. The founders of the Center are:

• The President of the Republic of Lithuania;
• The Parliament (Seimas) of the Republic of Lithuania;
• The Government of the Republic of Lithuania;
• The Supreme Court of Lithuania;
• Vilnius City Municipality;
• Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.

The National Program on Adoption of the ACQUIS, adopted by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on November 10, 1998, has entrusted the Center with functions of the National Crime Prevention Council, and has vested it with the task to consult state institutions on all issues related to crime prevention policy. The role of the Center in criminal justice system of Lithuania has been repeatedly endorsed in a number of major strategic documents of Lithuania. The Outlines on Reform of the Legal System and the Outlines on Reform of Police acknowledges the Center to be one of the leading institutions in the field of crime prevention, that must consolidate governmental, non-governmental, academic institutions and private initiatives, form evidence-based crime prevention policy, create an effective crime prevention system in Lithuania. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania has also acknowledged a role the Center shall play in international arena, the Center has been vested with a task to coordinate cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the United Nations’ Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.