Watch Male Inmates Of High-Security Prison Practice To Become Qualified Beauticians!
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Male inmates of a high-security prison have gone viral after attending a beauty school within the prison in order to become qualified beauticians and turn their lives around.
While prison might be the last place one would think of when setting up a beauty school, cosmetology tutor Carmen Shehorn took on the job to teach dangerous inmates everything from pedicures to manicures to facials.
As the licensed beautician revealed, the Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, “is a violent institution.”
“There are lots of alarms and a lot of training on how to be safe and be aware of what’s going on around you at all times, so the very first day I started here, I came around the corner and saw all the inmates and was like ‘what did I get myself into?’” she admitted in an interview with Barcroft TV.
“I don’t read their files because I don’t want to have a negative or preconceived image of who they are. I’m not here to punish them, I’m here to teach them a skill, so I want to start with a clean slate and then go from there.”
Starting from scratch, inmates are required to undergo a 1,600-hour-long course consisting of theory and practice in order to become qualified beauticians.
During their practice sessions, the prisoners learn about treatments such as hair coloring, nail painting, skincare, and so on.
As former gang member Benjamin revealed, the inmates have started to accept the idea of studying in a beauty school despite the initial barriers.
“In prison, everyone thinks it’s a bunch of homosexuals on the course, but little by little, people start coming to the salon because they see not everyone here is like that, and the ones that are are good people – we’re just all people in here,” the man, who is jailed for manslaughter, said.
“I’m from southern California, and I’m in here working with people from northern California. In the prison system, as a gang member, those people are basically like your rivals and it’s a battle in here, but I’m working with everybody and I’ve got to meet some very good people.”
Daniel, who is serving a 21-year sentence for first-degree murder added that he was initially teased for joining the beauty school.
“It was easy to be defensive at first, but as my skills grew it became a point of pride,” he admitted.
“They could tease me but I could tell they were a little bit jealous because we interact with the free staff in a way the others haven’t interacted with free people since their arrest.”
Another inmate, Michael, has spoken out and claimed that Carmen left a huge impact on their lives.
“Inmates are not supposed to touch staff, so when I first did, it was nerve-racking. We’re not supposed to even be too close to them, and not get too familiar with them, but throughout the course of time, I was able to do that in a professional manner,” he expressed.
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