Best Barbering Behind Bars or on the Street for That Matter

Barbering is often misunderstood as an archaic form of employment. After all, isn’t it rather simple to cut another’s hair and send them on their way? The better the cut, the better the payment. The exchange sounds extremely pedestrian. However, if one were able to glimpse the creativity that goes into the process, then one would understand why the Moore Haven Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility barbering class should be in the spotlight.

Walking into the class, taught by Ms. Yvonne Turner, is no different than walking into a professional salon. The conduct, language, and education are first-class. Pan around the room and you see how the classroom is meticulously set up, with state-of-the-art chairs and tools. Enter Ms. Turner’s door and you’re walking into a whole new world. 

Because barbering needs clients, the class routinely hosts their peers in order to hone their skills. It is interesting to see how knowledge is passed down from Ms. Turner to her students and to their peers. Balding? Constant massaging will bring the dying hair back. Tension? Treating yourself to “5-Star Service” will cause all your troubles to slip away. Seeking advice? Who best to talk to than a barber who has heard it all because their clients need to vent as they try to sort out their life’s troubles. Barbering is as much spiritual as it is physical.

Since the inaugural barbering class, over 100 students have been reviewed by the state board in Tallahassee to sit for the exam and earn their barbering license. Graduating students receive a Florida Restricted Barber License before leaving the facility. This allows them to enter the workforce with job training. 

Through GEO’s Continuum of Care®, many of Ms. Turner’s graduating students have found employment within their first two weeks of release. Others have continued their education by enrolling in Cosmetology School to become dual licensed. Several have opened their own shops. One is currently working as a night barber instructor. The fire of success that began behind Ms. Turner’s doors continues to spread at the Moore Haven Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility.