Why do some prisons require male inmates to shave their heads, but not requiring females to do the same?

Question

I've always wondered why. I've heard some prisons require head shave because of lice, the prisoner can't hide dangerous things like weapons in their hair, hygiene and to humiliate them. If that's the case, it's quite weird and illogical only male prisoners needs to shave and not all of these prisons require females to do the same. Female hair isn't anything different than male hair. So, do you have any ideas why do prisons require maile inmates to shave their heads? As far as I know, they do not require females to do the same...

Why do some prisons require male inmates to shave their heads, but not requiring females to do the same?

#discussion #why #curious

madhatters4 · Accepted Answer

good question. regarding the reason for men having to shave their heads due to potentially hiding weapons i can say that in female prisons the rate of violence is exponentially lower than it is in male prisons

but i tend to agree, perhaps women shouldn't have to shave their heads but at least cut their hair very short

ThisDudeHere · Accepted Answer

The same way it's weird that most militaries do not require women to shave all of their hair, which is unfair. You signed up to serve, not to look pretty.

TuMeManques · Accepted Answer

I agree with what @buchitabuchys said. Also it's probably for their protection as hair can be used against you in a fight. (Being that it's easy to get a hold of) I don't know lol

alice55 · Accepted Answer

No, idea. I never heard of them. Maybe they do that because of lice and women refuse to shave their hair? (that's sure an humiliation for them)

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I have wondered about that myself. Not really fair at all, is it?

BuchitaBuchys · Accepted Answer

Because its probably considered a harsher punishment

Red-Blaze · Answer

Cutting the hair is homestly one of the old things that are kept in some old version of prisons
It should not exsist for man or woman
The reason for it is a few
One lice that is known
Two is uniform, prison at least in its older version was about stripping someone idinteity from them, its about punshing someone not about making them better
And just like the army making everone the same cuts away identity, you are not any more Jean Smith, you are now prisoner 11235813, you got no hair color, you got no style, you look like everone else, beside your highet and eye color and skin color

Its one of the reasons tattos on the face, neck, hands are populer in prisons, its an idinity that its hard to take away from you

I think more morden prisons understand it, you dont want to take someone away, punish them a few years and let them learn how to become a better murder/thief/scammer, you want to improve them and hrlp them to become a better person if sociaty
You dont want to make them cut there hair as you need there idinity to find them self

But back tk the main qruestion whyan do and woman dont in prisons that are simmiler?
Becouse over all its socially ingrain in us that a woman and her hair, is a big part of her, when for man its not, is that true? not likely, not any more, but shaving to start with is an old thing
I will say how ever I know less man that really take care of there hair compere to woman, that grain is in deep
I can say that for me shaving my hair will be something horrible, may even push me to complete darkness, I invest a lot in my hair, its a big part of me, as me and if I lose it I belive I may go completely mad

Staximus · Answer

It's for admissions and delousing. They can grow their hair back later if they want. Men don't really give a shit if you shave their head, but it's demoralizing to most women. They are going to prison already, which is more humiliating for women. Only like 6.9% of state and federal prisoners are women, and that is an increase of like 700%. So traditionally going to jail is just not something women usually do. They were for many years only about 0.9-1% of the national prison population until recent times. The onset of widespread crack, meth, and heroin use has contributed largely to this. Most women are incarcerated for repeat drug or repeat theft offenses, and the theft is usually to pay for the drugs. They are already humiliated, no need to make them feel worse by shaving their heads.

sage2021 · Answer

If I became a prisoner, I would not want my lox shaved off. A woman's hair is very special to her in a way that is not like a guy because most guys sport the shaved head because that's their style. That look is at least 30 years old.
If I knew lice was going to crawl my scalp and hair then I would cut it off, but not shave it all off.

LivDev · Answer

For the same reason that I'd get a lighter sentence than you for the same or equivalent crime; old men invoking the bloated corpse of chivalry in the worst possible circumstances.

I'd be all for special treatment if we were still in a position to deserve it. But we aren't, so it just feels patronizing.

jshm2 · Answer

Its nothing to so with either.

Grunts who enlist in the army too, have to shave their heads unless religiously exempt.

Its to do with debasing the person and making them an "infant". So they do not look above their station. As in they are not even stable enough to have hair.

ADFSDF1996 · Answer

I'm not sure but it could be that they assume men are more likely to hide weapons in their hair. It's sexist that's they only make male prisoners shave their heads.

meatballs21 · Answer

Partly for hygiene and fighting, but also because they want to re-mold you into a productive citizen and are basically making everyone a blank slate by having everyone with a shaved head (not unlike boot camp)

ThomasDavid1989 · Answer

It's like asking, why are some prisons "for profit", and some aren't.

Different places do different things, differently, and well, republicans (republicucks as i like to call them), don't like differences. They want people to be EXACTLY LIKE THEM

Adaeva · Answer

It may be partly to prevent hiding dangerous things like weapons in their hair. It has nothing to do with lice. That is just a lie to justify humiliating them and for other unusual and unconstitutional punishments.

Guy13 · Answer

Some of shaving the hair mentality is to let them know is in charge. Lice and Bed bugs in prison is also reasonable. Occasionally, we get them in rentals from hygienic neglect so, yeah, I can accept those reasons as legitimate

DermalPunch · Answer

Because women are different from men and would likely cause a lot of mental trauma. Hair length and femininity are linked. Not every female prisoner is a ragung lesbian.

Anpu23 · Answer

In the US no prison forces anyone to shave their heads. American Natives suid under religious freedom to keep their hair and after that they changed the rules. Other countries may have other rules.

Heterosketero · Answer

Shaving hair is dehumanizing, but our balnced system likely feels men can handle it and women can't, its stupid. Originally it was for lice, so everyone should shave their head, or no one. We have tiny combs now, we have advanced.

Ragini · Answer

Uhm... Maybe women have always had hair on the head... lol

Jendcheuebc · Answer

Lol I wondered this recently too!!! Because I was watching Gossip Girl and the episode where Nate’s dad comes back from prison bald.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Well hiding weapons in the hair is a good reason but another reason might be for men not to appear as a woman.

A man with long hair can look like a woman especially from a distance and another is to avoid rape perhaps.

Nightinggale · Answer

Just another instance of gynocentrism. Woman are coddled in every turn of life, even prisons.

Nikki1989 · Answer

I always thought it was for hygiene reasons.

Alaskan_123 · Answer

I'm probably guessing because there are more male inmates than women, so it's easier for the men to get into fights. Safety reasons.

Avicenna · Answer

It may be considered „cruel and unusual punishment“ for women

Bricealan · Answer

As a 'trainee' at the Sheriff's Academy, they wanted us to have short hair, but not all did.

Anonymous · Answer

to humiliate them, to take away their identity of what makes them them

convo_king89 · Answer

It’s probably a courtesy for traditional social norms even jail.

Iron_Man · Answer

Shave their heads I’ve never heard of this before

Counterclocking · Answer

Women look better with long hair. Senseless to have women shave their heads 🤮.

boobliker · Answer

cleanness is the main reason, but also photo ID

grega239 · Answer

Im guessing its the same reason why the army does

sixsixsix · Answer

I've never heard of a prison where you have to shave your head

OddBeMe · Answer

Uh lice. If women had it I’d imagine they’d be required too,

Anonymous · Answer

Probably the same reason women don’t serve the same time in jail for the same crime as men, they are just treated differently than men

DemiCrawford · Answer

I've never thought about that

SnowedIn · Answer

Great question.

sheenagwapa · Answer

because it would look ugly to female

Demonruin4 · Answer

in Britain that doesn't happen

KrakenAttackin · Answer

Because women have privilege.

Fuentes · Answer

Maybe it's a hygiene thing

LovingJo · Answer

Health? Safety?

Preeti161101 · Answer

No idea 💡

Guardian45 · Answer

NO clue and Idgaf.

In_Trance · Answer

Some do

jimmy2 · Answer

Lice and bugs

Why do some prisons require male inmates to shave their heads, but not requiring females to do the same?

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How come men that enlist in the military have to have their head shaved for bootcamp, but women don't?

Why do some prisons require male inmates to shave their heads, but not requiring females to do the same?

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How come men that enlist in the military have to have their head shaved for bootcamp, but women don't?

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