The Hal Boyle Award 2008

The Los Angeles Times dispatched reporters to cities in Mexico most affected by drug war violence such as Tijuana, Monterrey, Juarez and Culiacan. They combined this high-risk news gathering with solid reporting from across the United States, showing the extent of Mexican gang penetration into American cities. They also reported on refugees from Mexico's violence moving into California communities. The result was a seamless melding of foreign, national and local reporting into a compelling tale of Mexico's drug wars. This coverage through 2008 helped set the stage for the debate today in the highest U.S. governmental and political circles about how to respond to a Mexico under siege.