Its founding members included Professor David Wilson, and a manager of education at HMP Wandsworth in London.
Funding from the Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust was granted in 2003 and this enabled the appointment of a coordinator to build up the work of the forum.
Patrons of the forum included Lord Woolf and Baroness Walmsley.
The forum was instrumental in the creation of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Learning & Skills in the Criminal Justice System, chaired by Baroness Veronica Linklater.
Its former director, Steve Taylor, was awarded the Longford Prize in 2005 for his work in developing the Forum.