- 13/01/2026
A new initiative in Los Angeles brings ‘hope machine’ VR headsets to California prisoners, with the aim of giving them real world scenarios to prepare them for reintegration into society.
A weeklong program, created by Los Angeles nonprofit organisation, Creative Acts at Valley State Prison near Fresno, California, saw prisoners sat on metal folding chairs in a common area. The prisoners were outfitted with a headset, known as “hope machines” by Creative Acts’ founder, Sandra Williams. Once fitted, the headsets displayed as high-definition videos started for each prisoner.
Some prisoners saw global sites such as Bangkok, while others experienced practical scenes such as job interviews, sitting across virtual desks from avatar interviewers who vary in easy-going and hard-going personalities to give the prisoners tools for finding employment on the outside…