D.O.C. North Carolina Grooming Policy

The North Carolina Grooming Policy proposes to cut prison inmates' hair short.

We oppose this as a violation both of freedom and religion and of human rights. Cutting an inmate's hair against his or her will is an act of intimidation, subjecting a person to unnecessary conformity to a cultural standard.

For some, the natural growth of beard and hair is an essential part of religious expression, comparable to kneeling for prayer, singing hymns, and reading scripture.

Elected officials taking an oath are asked to swear on the Bible, as well as when one testifies in court. The Department of Corrections should protect the religious rights of prisoners, including those who are fulfilling the biblical Nazarite Law through not having a razor come upon one's head and letting the locks of one's hair grow long (Numbers 6:5).

Instead of a pre-emptive trimming of all inmates, a fair policy should provide for trimming only those who have breached security through choices pertaining to their hair.

We expect the Department of Corrections to be an institution of rehabilitation, not one that uses dehumanizing tactics that are counter to our country's Constitution and Bill of Rights.

We honor the words of Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court Justice: "The right to worship is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and does not sop when the prison door shuts."