Crime rates and violence in Mexico are topics that demand the attention of both domestic and international communities on both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border. The U.S.-funded Merida Initiative, beginning in fiscal year 2008, created a mutually beneficial, bilateral partnership between Mexico and the United States. The objective of the initiative includes countering drug trafficking and organized crime, the institutionalization of human rights and rule of law reforms in Mexico, as well as strengthening a modern international border between both nations. The initiative is key to addressing the issues resulting from the transnational nature of modern crime and is perceived as essential to the security of both nations.