VR devices prepare inmates for life after prison

Jacob Smith has been in prison for two decades, but he and other inmates are still taking regular trips to far-flung, exotic locales.

- BY HAVEN DALEY AND CHRISTOPHER WEBER

THE PROJECT for Valley State Prison inmates aims "to blow their minds and also educate their minds."

(HAVEN DALEY Associated Press)

No passport required, just a virtual reality headset.

“I went to Thailand, man!” Smith recalled with a grin, describing the first time he strapped on a VR device and was transported to the lush landscapes and bustling markets of Southeast Asia.

A Los Angeles County-based nonprofit is bringing the technology to California prisons with the goal of providing inmates a brief escape and, more important, exposure to real-world scenarios that will prepare them to reenter society.

During a weeklong program last month, incarcerated men at Valley State Prison in the Central Valley town of Chowchilla sat on metal folding chairs in a common area. They shuffled in their seats as they were outfitted with the headsets that resemble opaque goggles. Their necks contorted slightly and smiles spread across their faces as the high-definition videos started and their journeys commenced.

Some saw the sights on the other side of the globe, including Bangkok, while others experienced more practical scenes such as job interviews. The men sit across virtual desks from virtual interviewers who are both easygoing and hard-nosed to give them the tools for finding employment once they are released.

“For a lot of us, the workforce has changed and things are different with the application process,” said Smith, who is eligible for parole in 2031 and now volunteers helping his fellow inmates navigate the VR experience. “It’s a nerve-racking experience going to sit in front of somebody and telling them why I’m good for the job.”