Walnut Grove inmates earn state barber licenses

WALNUT GROVE, Mississippi — Inmates in the barber program at Walnut Grove Correctional Facility have completed the requirements to become licensed barbers, the Mississippi Department of Corrections said Thursday.

Members of the facility’s Barber College met standards set by the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, the department said. Superintendent Mike Dixon and Deputy Warden Stephanie Johnston congratulated the inmates on earning their licenses, the MDOC said.

The department said the newly licensed barbers are now available to help train other inmates across the agency who want to achieve the same credential. Vocational programs such as barbering aim to provide job skills that can support reentry and employment after release.

Walnut Grove Correctional Facility is operated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, which oversees multiple educational and training programs for inmates across the state. We will provide more information as it becomes available.