Implementation preparation costs of virtual reality job interview training in prisons: a budget impact analysis

Elizabeth C. Danielson, Matthew J. Smith*, Brittany Ross, Brittani Parham, Jennifer E. Johnson, Gary S. Cuddeback, Justin D. Smith, Dean McGregor, Aaron Suganuma, Neil Jordan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) has increased employment rates for returning citizens when added to a successful prison-based employment readiness program. However, implementation preparation cost—expenses prior to offering VR-JIT to intended recipients—is unknown. We estimated the cost of implementation preparation activities (e.g., organizing workflow) for two prisons to deliver VR-JIT. We conducted a budget impact analysis and enumerated the labor costs incurred during this important stage of implementation. Labor costs were approximately $8,847 per prison. Our sensitivity analysis estimated the labor costs to replicate this effort in a new prison to range from $2,877 to $4,306 per prison. Thus, VR-JIT may be an affordable tool for prison-based employment readiness programs to improve gainful employment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)81-97
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Offender Rehabilitation
Volume62
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute of Justice under Grant [2019-MU-MU-004; PI: Matthew Smith]; and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research under Grant [90ARHF0003].

Keywords

  • budget impact analysis
  • implementation preparation
  • recidivism
  • virtual reality job interview training

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Law
  • Rehabilitation

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