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VR headsets are 'hope machines' inside California prisons
A nonprofit and the California Department of Corrections use 100 Meta Oculus headsets to help inmates build skills for reentry and reduce aggression, running sessions several times yearly.
- Last month, Creative Acts, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, brought VR headsets to Valley State Prison near Fresno for brief escapes and real-world scenario training.
- Sabra Williams' prison arts project evolved into a VR curriculum, growing from theater, music, poetry, dance and painting while Richard Richard first used VR about six years ago and now volunteers for Creative Acts.
- Virtual interview simulations place incarcerated men across desks to rehearse job conversations, American Psychological Association research links short nature videos to reduced aggression, and volunteers who debrief inmates after sessions often see participants removing headsets in tears.
- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says VR could heal trauma, regulate emotions, and prepare inmates for reentry, with former participant Richard Richard now volunteering.
- Given the hefty price tag and limited access, experts warn expansion faces equity and institutional hurdles, as the program currently uses 100 Oculus headsets donated by Meta at four California prisons, with Williams hoping for broader reach.
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51 Articles
51 Articles
Associated Press News+50 Reposted by 50 other sources
VR headsets are 'hope machines' inside California prisons, offering escape and practical experience
Prisoners are now taking regular trips to far-flung, exotic locales such as Thailand. No passport required, just a virtual reality headset.
·United States
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Total News Sources51
Leaning Left16Leaning Right5Center21Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 38%
C 50%
12%
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