Perkins operations
Coverage of Perkins operations 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.
- How we reported on undercover police operations in California jails
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.