Trans-Border Institute / Justice in Mexico

The Trans-Border Institute (TBI) was founded in 1994 at the University of San Diego to promote scholarship on Mexico and the US-Mexico border. Under David Shirk’s directorship (2003–2013), it became nationally prominent for data-driven reports on drug violence and security in Mexico, particularly through the Justice in Mexico project (brought from UCSD in 2005).

After Shirk stepped down, TBI split: Everard Meade took over TBI (focusing on migration, asylum, human rights), while Justice in Mexico became a standalone program in USD’s Political Science department. By ~2020, TBI was reorganized as “Cross-Border Initiatives” under the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. Justice in Mexico remains active, publishing its flagship Organized Crime and Violence in Mexico reports.

Combined, TBI and Justice in Mexico represent one of the most significant English-language research programs on Mexican security, justice, and border issues over the past two decades.