New, more effective ways of resocialization are increasingly sought in prisons. One of the most innovative examples is virtual reality (VR) programs that help prisoners not only prepare for life behind bars, but also experience a world they have never seen. The following is about how VR technologies become a “machine of hope” and a real chance for a new beginning.
The program is implemented by the non-profit organization “Creative Acts” from Los Angeles, which specializes in resocialization through creative and experiential methods. Its participants explore virtual Thailand, take part in simulated job interviews and practice everyday tasks such as using an ATM, shopping at a supermarket, paying with a card or even filling up gas.
One of the main problems faced by people who leave prison after long sentences is the inability to adapt to a changed reality. Even simple tasks can seem difficult and stressful, which often pushes ex-prisoners back into crime. Virtual reality allows these situations to be safely “rehearsed” until they become familiar and no longer cause such anxiety.
After each VR session, participants are interviewed by volunteers to help them process the emotions and memories that arose during the virtual experience. According to Bailey O’Brian, deputy director of the prison, this approach “encourages healing, personal growth and positively changes the atmosphere within the prison itself.”
The Hope Machine: An Emotional Breakthrough Through VR
Sabra Williams, the founder of Creative Acts, responsible for this initiative, calls the VR equipment a “machine of hope”. According to her, many people cry when they take off their VR goggles, being moved by places and possibilities they never thought they would experience. It is not only a short virtual journey, but also a powerful emotional shock that allows you to believe anew that life can be different.
Experts emphasize the importance of technology in resocialization. According to the California Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation, the VR program has reduced disciplinary incidents by as much as 96 percent over the course of a year. This shows that such initiatives work not only at the individual level, but also at the level of the entire prison community.
Nancy La Vigne, a spokeswoman for the Rutgers-Newark School of Criminal Justice, notes that VR allows inmates to practice social situations, such as using public transportation and interacting with strangers. At the same time, research by the American Psychological Association shows that calm visualizations, especially natural landscapes, help reduce stress and aggression, which is especially important in the closed, stressful conditions of prisons.
How does a VR program work in prisons?
The project uses 100 Oculus VR kits donated by Meta. The program is aimed at both the general prison population and those held in solitary confinement, as well as juvenile offenders.
The initiative is currently implemented in four California prisons, three times a year. Authorities plan to expand the program statewide and later to other U.S. prisons.
VR gives prisoners a real opportunity to prepare for life behind bars: they acquire practical skills, learn to deal with stress, and develop psychological resilience. In this way, resocialization becomes more effective and safer, both for the participants themselves and for the society to which they will return.
