Virtual Reality Training Aims to Reduce Recidivism

In Chicago, Team Englewood is using virtual reality to support individuals recently released from prison as they reenter the workforce. The program focuses on job readiness, offering immersive VR training for warehouse and construction jobs, along with resume building and mock interviews.

Participants—often with limited or no job history—engage in 19 hours of VR simulation over a three-week period. They learn practical skills like using power tools and operating machinery in a safe, low-pressure environment.

Program leaders say the technology builds confidence and helps prevent the early dropout many new hires experience. Since incorporating VR, the 30-day job retention rate among participants has risen to 80%, compared to 20% for temp agency hires.

Funded by city, state, and private sources, the initiative partners with VR provider Transfr. Team Englewood believes this effort can break cycles of poverty and incarceration by accelerating access to stable employment.