Department of Justice Project – Immersive content for therapeuthic intervention
8 de January de 2026
Within the Generalitat of Catalonia we find the Department of Justice and Democratic Quality, which is the Department in charge of functions related to justice administration in Catalonia and its modernization, penitentiary services, reintegration and juvenile justice, conservation and updating and development of the civil law of Catalonia, among others.
The Rehabilitation Service of the General Directorate of Penitentiary Affairs of Justice and Democratic Quality was seeking proposals for the creation of 360º immersive audiovisual materials for the rehabilitation of people in penitentiary centers in Catalonia, within the framework of the National Pact for Mental Health 2025-2030.
This agreement aims to provide innovative tools for rehabilitation and preparation for life after release. To this end, the Rehabilitation Service of the General Directorate of Rehabilitation and Healthcare Programs, under the General Directorate of Penitentiary Affairs of the Department of Justice and Democratic Quality, provided a set of materials, for which Immersium Studio submitted a proposal. In this proposal, we outlined the design and implementation of immersive 360º audiovisual materials to promote reflection, emotional self-regulation, and the acquisition of strategies for coping with risky situations through therapeutic intervention with inmates in Catalan prisons. This proposal was accepted, and thus the project began.
Project
Together with the Department of Justice, we developed a script with the aim of promoting reflection, emotional self-regulation and the acquisition of strategies for dealing with risk situations by people incarcerated in prisons in Catalonia.
Among the most common risk situations they may face, we chose four as the most representative:
- Gender violence
We simulate the daily life of a couple where the first signs of gender violence can be identified.
- Criminal recidivism
We simulate a situation in which a manager wants one of the employees to move an unregistered box.
- Substance use
We simulate a person who has been released from prison leave and is encouraged to use drugs by a friend.
- General violence
We simulated a tense scene between two friends who are talking and a possible aggressor who becomes violent for no apparent reason.
In all cases, the user receives feedback to highlight what they have witnessed and to raise awareness of how best to act in each situation.
The script design has been developed taking into account a theoretical foundation with a pedagogical and therapeutic intention that we describe below:
1. Theoretical Framework: The Cognitive-Behavioral Model and Social Learning
This resource aligns directly with the theoretical pillars of the Catalan model:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Model: The script explores the interaction between emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The scenes aim to modify the inmate’s cognitive style through skills training for adaptive living.
- Social Learning Theory: VR facilitates vicarious learning (through observation) and the modeling effect. By observing “real” conflict situations and receiving feedback, the intern can imitate socially desirable behaviors without the risks of the real environment.
2. Therapeutic Intention: Risk Management and Self-Control
The central therapeutic objective is the management of the risk of relapse:
- Identifying warning signs: The four scenarios (gender-based violence, recidivism, substance use, and general violence) are designed to help inmates detect dynamic risk factors before conflict escalates.
- Emotional regulation and anger management: Especially in the violence scenarios, the resource teaches how to manage tension and frustration, preventing aggression from erupting.
- Relapse prevention: The substance use scenario utilizes Prochaska and DiClemente’s transtheoretical model, addressing resistance to peer pressure and decision-making in vulnerable situations (such as furloughs)
3. Pedagogical Intention: Socialization and Autonomy
From the perspective of Social Education and Pedagogy of Everyday Life:
- Development of prosocial thinking: This resource encourages the cognitive resolution of interpersonal problems. The inmate must “think critically” about the consequences of their choices.
- Assertiveness training: The suggested responses to the script (such as Victor’s in the warehouse or the user’s with the beer) are models of communication and relationship skills necessary for reintegration.
- Promotion of autonomy and responsibility: The final feedback for each scene empowers the individual to take responsibility for their decisions, reinforcing their self-efficacy for change.
4. Relationship with the Specialized Care Areas of the Model
Immersive content directly supports specific pathways within the framework of the curriculum organization program:
- Area of violent and gender-based behaviors: This resource is a complementary tool for the SAC, DEVI, and Gender Violence programs, fostering empathy towards the victim and breaking down cognitive distortions.
- Area of addictive behaviors: It reinforces strategies for maintaining abstinence in high-risk external environments.
- Area of preparation for life after release: It simulates situations that inmates will encounter in the outside world, such as work pressures or leisure temptations.
We are very pleased with the results obtained and the Department of Justice has also congratulated us on the resource we created for them.
