Implementing Virtual Reality Job Interview Training in Prison-Based Employment Readiness Programs: A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation

Background and Purpose: Recidivism remains a significant challenge for the criminal justice system, with approximately 44% of returning citizens being rearrested within the first year of release. Employment is a known protective factor against recidivism, as it provides returning citizens with the means to secure housing, pay bills, and reintegrate into society. However, only 25% of the more than 600,000 individuals released from state and federal prisons each year find employment within 12 months. This underscores the need for effective vocational training programs to enhance employability. Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) is an evidence-based practice that improves employment outcomes for returning citizens when added to prison-based employment readiness programming. However, initial implementation processes for VR-JIT in correctional settings are currently unknown and the unique environment of correctional facilities can pose barriers to effective VR-JIT delivery.

Methods: We conducted a mixed methods implementation processes evaluation of VR-JIT within two prison-based, trades-focused employment readiness programs. Career readiness counselors (n=4) and program administrators (n=2) completed surveys and semi-structured interviews to report on VR-JIT’s initial implementation process outcomes (e.g., feasibility, appropriateness, acceptability) and barriers and facilitators of successful delivery. VR-JIT recipients (n=56) completed two surveys with two open-ended questions focused on the intervention’s acceptability and usability.

Results: Qualitative data were analyzed using convergent mixed methods. Prison staff reported VR-JIT as highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible to deliver with high fidelity. Meanwhile, VR-JIT recipients reported the intervention as highly usable and acceptable. Key facilitators for VR-JIT implementation included perceptions of the intervention as a realistic simulation of job interviewing, repetitive practice opportunities, and comprehensive training and support. However, structural barriers such as schedule interruptions and limited resources such as staffing need to be addressed to support optimal implementation of VR-JIT in the future.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings of this study highlight significant implications for policy, practice, and the critical role of social workers within the criminal justice system, particularly in efforts to reduce recidivism through employment readiness . The high acceptability and usability of VR-JIT among both prison staff and recipients underscore its potential as an innovative solution to enhance employability for returning citizens. Social workers, with their expertise in navigating systemic barriers and supporting individual change, are pivotal in leveraging VR-JIT to facilitate reintegration into society. Policymakers should consider investing in VR-JIT as a complement to traditional vocational training programs and ensure that social workers are integrally involved in its implementation, from providing individualized support to addressing unique needs during the job search process. Moreover, this study supports a broader policy shift towards incorporating evidence-based technological solutions in correctional education and rehabilitation efforts. As demonstrated, interventions like VR-JIT, when supported by comprehensive training and resources, have the potential to transform the landscape of correctional education, offering scalable and replicable models that other institutions can adopt. By emphasizing the integral role of social workers in implementing such innovative practices, this approach can significantly improve re-entry practices for those reentering society.