My name is Dr. Hayden Smith and I am a Professor of Criminology at the University of South Carolina. My expertise centers on mental illness occurring within the criminal justice system. I am very passionate about the research that I conduct in prisons and jails. When discussing crime and incarceration with my students, I have found that a lack of personal experience often leads to misconceptions, media myths, and other inaccurate beliefs. To address these gaps, I have developed a series of virtual reality exercises. Here, students can engage in experiential learning to develop knowledge and meaning. These exercises place the student in roles of powerlessness so they can experience the criminal justice system in new ways and at their own comfort levels. I now invite you to take the tour.
