‘Psychological war’: Inside California’s expanding use of jailhouse stings

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.