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Intensive Session: Beyond Traditional Corrections: Virtual Reality as a Game-Changer in Rehabilitation and Training
SESSION INFO
Sunday, August 24, 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Session Type: Intensive
This session delves into cutting-edge VR-based programmes designed to strengthen crime prevention and rehabilitation, supporting the criminal justice system in its goal to reduce recidivism. These programmes, developed for both prison and community settings, follow a dual and complementary approach. On the one hand, for individuals within the criminal justice system, the focus is on providing employability training and soft skills development, particularly in areas such as emotional regulation and impulse control, to support their rehabilitation and reintegration. On the other hand, for correctional staff, the VR training focuses on developing intervention skills, including radicalisation risk assessment and de-escalation techniques, ensuring professionals are equipped to handle challenging situations effectively. The session will highlight state-of-the-art research, present best practices and showcase four successful VR-based programmes. Alongside the programme’s co-developers, the session will provide insightful information about the direction of immersive criminal justice training.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Ines Castro
Head of Risk Prevention & Criminogenic Intervention, Innovative Prison Systems
Inês de Castro is the Head of the Risk Prevention and Criminogenic Intervention Unit, under the Rehabilitation, Reintegration, and Community portfolio at IPS_Innovative Prison Systems. She is a clinical psychologist with a postgraduate degree in psycho-criminology, and a certified trainer in Portugal. Her expertise is rooted in practical experience and focuses on risk assessment, offender management, psychological evaluations in forensic contexts, and providing psychological support to inmates. Inês has participated in several international projects in the areas of rehabilitation, reintegration, and community-based interventions, acting as a project manager. She has also served as a trainer in the scope of the international project Strengthening Probation Services in Guyana, aimed at enhancing the organisational framework of probation services in the country through a structured staff training programme. Her training topics included case management, caseload supervision, and training of trainers.
Pedro Liberado
Chief Research Officer, Innovative Prison Systems
Pedro Liberado is a Board Member, Chief Research Officer, and Radicalisation, Violent Extremism and Organised Crime Portfolio Coordinator at IPS_Innovative Prisons Systems. He is responsible for the design, coordination, implementation, and sustainability of various initiatives in prison, probation, and community settings, mostly in the field of radicalisation and violent extremism prevention. Through over 20 projects focused on preventing and countering violent extremism, Pedro has advised policymakers and practitioners on effective strategies to prevent radicalisation and combat terrorism. He has worked in offender management and risk screening/assessment, rehabilitation and exit work, cross-sectoral and multi-level staff training, interinstitutional cooperation, among other topics. He is an invited speaker in (inter)national events, incl. collaborations with the European Commission, Council of Europe, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and INTERPOL. Pedro is a certified trainer, Key Expert and Member of the EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation, LEICA “Law Enforcement in Central Asia” Project Expert on behalf of CIVIPOL, Full Member of ICPA, APPA, European Society of Criminology (Radicalisation, Extremism, and Terrorism Working Group), and of the Society for Terrorism Research.
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