Black and Latino people
Coverage of Black and Latino people in the Nexus archive.
- Do these jailhouse stings go too far? CA Supreme Court to decide
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.
- ‘Psychological war’: Inside California’s expanding use of jailhouse stings
California's law enforcement agencies use 'Perkins operations' to pose as incarcerated individuals and extract information from suspects, a tactic criticized for coercion and racial disparities. Jason Zapata's experience in a Riverside County jail highlights the psychological pressure faced by inmates during these operations, which involve undercover agents pretending to be violent gang members.