How do prisoners get haircuts

Thousands of cameras were installed in the infamous Attica prison after we revealed the extent of violent abuse by guards. Supreme Court justices have cited us, along with incarcerated people acting as their own lawyers. The type of reporting we practice takes persistence, skill and, above all, time, which is why we need your support. The funds we raise now will allow us to commit the time and attention needed to tell stories that are driving real change.

We could not do it without you. Please donate to The Marshall Project today. Your support will help us reach our goal and will go a long way toward sustaining this important work. A nonprofit news organization covering the U. Life Inside. The Language Project. We Are Witnesses. And, that means that prisons have to have a barber shop or salon on site. So yes, you can get haircuts in prison. Every prison has a barber shop or a room designated for haircuts. For federal prisons, the rule is:.

Where practical, hair is to be cut in a room or rooms specifically designated for that purpose. A multi-purpose area may be used where this is not practical. Hair cutting shall be done in an area that permits observation by staff. Equipment must be stored securely when not in use. A current inventory of hair cutting equipment shall be maintained. When I was in prison, you had to submit a request to get a barber shop appointment, and you were allowed to get an appointment every 90 days.

The women that worked in the barber shop offered basic services like a haircut, color, and style, and they were all licensed. How is that possible, you ask? You would be surprised how many women in prison have their cosmetology license when they get locked up. Getting a haircut or style was free, but to get a color, you had to pay.

In most cases, students are provided their own tools to cut hair. Students are not allowed to have their tools outside of the classroom.

Upon release, students are given their tools to take with them. The program has been found very affective in many states. One result being that many in the program do not end up back behind bars. The programs teach not only haircutting skills, but life skills as well. Student learn responsibility, accountability and punctuality. They also gain a new lease on life as well as self-worth.

Usually, what stares back at them in the mirror can be unsettling. However, each time they step out of the chair, they feel like they have regained a part of themselves. An opportunity to better themselves. A way to give back to themselves and to others. While it is a law, it is also a way of life. It can be the last thing keeping them together. As shown here, it is the mandatory for every inmate to be allowed a trim.

More so, they have the right to a choice in style. Smith launched his legal fight with a hand-written petition filed in February He claimed the new haircut rule is flatly unfair. Previously, inmates received free haircuts monthly from an in-house barber. As Cannon noted, Smith claims the haircut policy amounts to unconstitutional cruelty because it is unfair to poor prisoners.

Some prisoners rely on family and friends for money while they are behind bars and half of what inmates earn or receive already is taken for room and board, Smith wrote.