Prison Fellowship

Remember Those in Prison

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Overall
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Clinic
    • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree® Church Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • 2020 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

Of Dignity and Haircuts

September 9, 2016 by Steve Rempe

Andre Lyons is a popular man at the Correctional Treatment Facility in Washington, DC. Once a month (or occasionally more frequently, if needed to calm rising tensions), Lyons enters the confinement unit, clippers in hand, to provide haircuts for the men in “the hole.”

Of Dignity and HaircutsBeing a prisoner himself (he was recently sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to distribute, and is awaiting a transfer to a federal prison), Lyons understands the importance of the little things that provide a sense of humanity in a harsh, sometimes dehumanizing environment. And this is even more true for men who have been isolated from the general population of the prison.

In an article for the Marshall Project, Lyons describes his role as the barber to the roughest residents in prison, and the lessons he has learned there.

The first thing Lyons does as he prepares to cut a prisoner’s hair is to hand him a mirror. “For most of the inmates,” he says, ” it’s the first time they’ve seen their reflection in a month, and they’re always shocked.”

The transformation that occurs in those few minutes is more than just physical. “No matter who they are, when I’m done cutting an inmate’s hair and show them the finished product, they don’t want to let the mirror go,” Lyons says. “They’ll keep looking at their reflection, saying they finally feel like themselves again.”

“Every prison is full of guys who would love to feel more human,” he concludes.

The need to “feel human” is vital to all men and women behind bars. Paying the price for their past misdeeds, they need to know that they still have value, and that redemption is possible.

Across the country, thousands of Prison Fellowship volunteers regularly enter correctional facilities, taking with them the love of Jesus, and a message that even men and women behind bars are of infinite worth to the God who created them. If you would like to learn more about how you can help bring light and encouragement to prisoners and their families, visit https://www.prisonfellowship.org/action.

 

 

Filed Under: Feature Stories, Prison & Prisoners Tagged With: DC, Haircuts, Marshall Project, Washington

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Angel Tree® Stories
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • In-Prison Stories
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Stories
  • Stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

A Second Chance at the Academy: A Rule-Breaker Becomes a Leader

February 10, 2021

When Hope, Recovery, and Restoration Are Possible

February 9, 2021

Matthew Charles and Ending Racial Inequity in the Justice System

January 28, 2021

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

RESOURCES & INFORMATION

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • For Wardens & Prison Officials

PF®

NEW ON OUR BLOG

  • The Power of a Prisoner’s Prayer
  • Prison Fellowship Reacts to the Passing of John Baker
  • Update on Prison Fellowship and COVID-19
  • Free to Serve Advocate: How Justice Ambassador Robert Taylor Defied the Odds

FIND US ONLINE

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN

RECEIVE UPDATES

Sign up to receive news, stories, and information based on your needs and interests.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

PFM®

  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2021 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.