Getting a haircut inside the prison is undoubtedly not that easy as every single facility has their policies and have the right to ask inmates to stick through them no matter what.
No matter how stringent the policies are, prisoners are allowed to get a haircut of their choice, keeping in mind several limitations and enjoying the best of hygiene.
This guide will let you know how getting a haircut inside the prison works and the various rules and regulations associated with it.
Inmates Getting Haircut – Allowed or Not?
Basic hygiene is a part of daily life and should not be neglected at any cost. Being in jail does not mean that you can be brushed off such essential facilities as a punishment.
This is really not a question to ponder upon as haircuts represent one’s personality in a lot more ways than we can expect.
However, you will be amazed to know that there are stringent rules and regulations for the inmates getting a haircut. The U.S. correctional facility designs these rules. It strictly states that all the prisons (State and Private) are liable to provide the inmates with perfect hygiene facilities.
We will now mention some of the ground rules devised for the grooming of inmates and how it is supposed to be executed.
Ground Rules For Inmates Grooming
The prisons are bound to provide their inmates with a haircut once a month, according to the federal law of the government. It ensures a minimal risk of any disease occurring due to dirty hair.
Below are some of the ruling acts every prisoner is expected to adhere to, which are in the best interest of one’s health and those of the other inmates.
- Keeping long hair is allowed for the inmates, provided that they retain extra care of their hygiene and tidiness.
- On the other hand, female inmates should keep hair of a certain length that does not get roughly tangled. You must be able to slide your fingers smoothly to ensure that there is no hidden contraband.
- Male and female inmates can have braids and deadlocks of a certain length. But, no more than the specified length in the prison protocol which is just half an inch.
- If a prisoner has a strong religious belief, that can be problematic, and exceptions can be made to cater to such cases.
- There are certain hairstyles that the warden may straightaway reject, and the inmates are directed to adhere to them without any question.
- In case there is a significant change in the hairstyle of a prisoner, a new photograph will be clicked to avoid any confusion in the future.
- Many facilities do not entertain the symbols created through hairstyles or several missing hair parts.
No matter how many rules are designed by the prison facilities, they must provide the inmates with a haircut to take care of hygiene across the prison.
This promises hygiene and reflects a particular discipline of every prison facility. Hence, keeping in mind the rules and regulations stated by laws, haircuts are allowed in the prisons once a month.
Before getting to the next major part of this guide, we will throw some quick light on what conditions a prisoner can have a haircut other than the routinely scheduled one.
- If you have a court hearing, you can make a nice neat and clean haircut before that.
- In case there is a family visit.
- If you are to be executed, you also need to get a haircut to proceed with the desired process.
Are Barber Shops Available In Prisons?
Yes, there are barbershops available in prison. However, tight security monitors the process to prevent dangerous and detrimental activity.
This works in several ways. If there are no designated barber shops inside the prison, an official contract is made with specified barbers who come to the prison once every month.
If a prisoner wishes to get a haircut before the assigned time, a request must be processed, which can take up to several days.
The barbers offer classic haircuts in routine, and if you wish to get extra services, you will have to pay for it on your own. For instance, female inmates want to have their hair dyed; on average, they pay around $6.
All the equipment is stored under strict supervision so that no one other than the barber can access it. And for this purpose, the inmates, when brought for a haircut, are usually hand-cuffed so they may not perform any violent act.
This is how it usually works, but again it may vary from the kind of prison and their respective set of regulations other than those provided by officials.
Well, it does not just end here! There are several learning opportunities for the inmates, which we will discuss in the next portion of our guide.
Learning Opportunity For The Inmates
Prison life is not a child’s play. There is a high chance that prisoners get depressed or secluded from the other set of a population. This is due to the stigma associated as it is yet considered taboo in this advanced era.
Therefore, there are several learning opportunities for the prisoners inside the prison. They can learn skills to make them feel better or compensate for the lives they chose for themselves.
Many felons can sign up for this training process and learn for their best with the barber facility available.
The Bottom Line
The haircut is one of the essential tools of self-hygiene, and no inmate deserves to be deprived of this facility. Barber programs inside the prisons have increased up to 20% since they were initially started.
It is about hygiene. However, it also reflects the prisoners to see the good in them and helps them recover through the prison trauma.
With learning opportunities available, too, inmates can bring their best capabilities into use and vouch for a better life ahead.
However, these services must occur under strict regulations of every facility and ensure all the individuals’ safety and security inside the prison.
