Perkins operations

Jason Zapata's experience in a Riverside County jail highlights the use of undercover agents in 'Perkins operations,' a controversial tactic where law enforcement poses as incarcerated individuals to extract information. These operations, criticized for coercion and false confessions, are widely used in California to secure murder convictions but face scrutiny for disproportionately targeting Black and Latino suspects.

The California Supreme Court is set to decide whether controversial Perkins operations—where law enforcement poses as incarcerated individuals to obtain incriminating statements—are legally and ethically acceptable. Critics argue these tactics are coercive, risk false confessions, and disproportionately target Black and Latino people, while prosecutors defend them as effective investigative tools.

CalMatters investigated Perkins operations, a controversial law enforcement tactic in California jails where undercover agents pose as inmates to extract incriminating statements from suspects. David Allen, who invoked his right to silence, was convicted based on statements from such an operation and is challenging his conviction in the California Supreme Court.