Shaping the future of rehabilitation with immersive tools and smart systems at ICPA 2025

IPS was among more than 700 participants from 91 countries, including correctional leaders, professionals, researchers, and representatives from the public, private, and non-profit sectors, who attended the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) 2025 Annual Conference, held in Istanbul, Türkiye, from October 26 to 31.

At the ICPA 27th Annual Conference, themed “Wellbeing in Corrections: Initiatives for Staff, Systems, and Communities,” global participants were able to share insights at focused sessions on staff wellbeing, trauma-informed practice, technology in rehabilitation, and mental health support inside facilities. The programme mixed expert talks with case studies from different regions, hands-on workshops, and small group exchanges. Delegates also visited facilities in Türkiye to see local approaches in practice, including staff support units and rehabilitation activities for people in custody.

Alongside speakers from around the world, the conference placed a strong spotlight on Türkiye’s ongoing correctional reforms, including efforts to improve staff welfare, strengthen mental health services, and expand education and work programmes. Discussions drew clear links between staff wellbeing, safe environments, and better outcomes after release. With practical examples, open debate, and direct contact between practitioners and decision-makers, the event created a focused space for progress in wellbeing across correctional settings.

For IPS, the conference provided a valuable platform to showcase achievements in our work with our intelligent Offender and Jail Management System HORUS 360º iOMS, virtual reality (VR) enhanced training solutions, and the latest edition of JUSTICE TRENDS Magazine, while also offering an opportunity to engage with other attendees.

Showcasing digital innovations driving the next phase of correctional support

The highlight at IPS’ booth was our intelligent Offender and Jail Management System, HORUS 360 iOMS, leveraging evidence-based data management and AI-powered insights to enhance daily operations, and ongoing policy decisions in corrections.

Through HORUS, IPS is helping justice systems manage the entire detention lifecycle, from intake to release and community supervision. The platform integrates real-time data, automated workflows, and risk assessments to highlight patterns, risks, and needs as they emerge, and support faster, more informed decisions.

The interest was strong around the HORUS new generation of features designed to expand its support for staff and decision-makers, but visitors also had the opportunity to explore innovative VR training applications for rehabilitation and training aimed at justice-involved individuals and staff.

Through guided experiences, attendees explored how several virtual scenarios developed in IPS-partnered transnational initiatives can support behaviour change, improve decision-making, and help staff manage complex situations safely. The VR demonstrations covered key themes linked to the conference focus on wellbeing, including:

• Reducing reactive aggression in prison settings.
• Training and tools to support radicalisation assessment.
• Coping skills for people under probation with substance use challenges.
• Vocational and educational training for work and life skills.
• Techniques to boost engagement in training programmes.

These experiences show how immersive learning can help justice-involved individuals build self-control, confidence, and work-ready abilities, while also giving staff a safe space to practise de-escalation and intervention skills.

A stand-out example is the VR4React programme, designed to support behavioural change and rehabilitation. Through immersive simulations, the interactive modules help detainees develop self-regulation and prosocial behaviour, and train prison staff in effective de-escalation and intervention techniques.

We were pleased to meet the Deputy Director General of the Polish Prison Service, Cezary Mecwaldowski, who has been closely involved in the project’s development. Poland is among the countries implementing this programme on a national scale, under the Deputy Director General’s supervision.

With the 2025 conference now concluded, we would like to thank ICPA for an insightful event and extend our gratitude to everyone who visited our booth, asked questions, and expressed interest in IPS’ work. We also offer our congratulations to all the Excellence Award winners, and to everyone who took part and contributed to strengthening the sector. The conference once again showed the value of shared effort and open exchange in moving corrections forward, with wellbeing at the centre.