Volusia County Inmates Master the Art of Barbering

Posted On: May 28, 2025

The buzz of electric clippers fills the air at the Volusia County Correctional Facility, but it's not just another haircut day – it's the sound of transformation. Eight inmates are trading their orange jumpsuits for barber aprons, learning a trade that could reshape their futures one fade at a time.

This groundbreaking barber training program, launched through an innovative partnership between Volusia County and Daytona State College, is giving incarcerated individuals something invaluable: A marketable skill and a genuine shot at starting over.

More Than Just Haircuts – It's About Hope

For six intensive weeks, participants immerse themselves in the craft three days a week, four hours a day. They're not just learning to wield scissors and razors – they're mastering customer service, perfecting sanitation protocols, and building the technical expertise needed to pass Florida's state licensure exam.

But the real magic happens when confidence builds alongside competence. These aren't just future barbers – they're potential shop owners, entrepreneurs, and community contributors.

"This program is about more than just learning how to cut hair – it's about giving these individuals a second chance," explained Volusia County Corrections Director Joseph DeMore. "By providing them with a skill they can use to earn a living, we're helping set them on a path toward stability and self-sufficiency after release."

Breaking the Cycle, One Clip at a Time

The numbers tell a powerful story: Quality job training programs can dramatically reduce recidivism rates, keeping families together and communities safer. When someone walks out of jail with professional skills and state certification in hand, they're walking toward opportunity instead of uncertainty.

Under the watchful guidance of an experienced barber, the pilot group is discovering that success often starts with believing in yourself – and having others believe in you too.

This program represents more than workforce development; it's community investment. These newly certified barbers will be contributing to local economies, serving neighbors, and proving that everyone deserves a chance to write their next chapter.

The first group will graduate soon, ready to turn their fresh skills into fresh starts.

Second Chance Initiative

The barber program is part of the Correction Division’s Second Chance Initiative, which has been advanced by the Volusia County Council to give inmates marketable skills and reduce recidivism. Vice Chair and District 2 Representative Matt Reinhart, a retired Volusia County warden, has worked closely with Corrections Director Joseph Demore, Case Management Coordinator Chris Lorenti, and community partners to move the program forward.

“We have found that job training programs in jails address several factors that contribute to reoffending,” Reinhart said. “Participants develop marketable skills that improve their employment prospects upon release. The programs also provide structure, build self-esteem, and help inmates develop workplace behaviors and social skills.”

In addition to the new barbering program inmates are already:

• Cultivating lettuce and tomatoes through hydroponic tower gardens and greenhouses
• Growing mangroves that will provide shoreline stabilization and improved water quality in the Indian River Lagoon
• Taking part in a virtual welding program offered by Daytona State College
• Attending quarterly job fairs with assistance from the Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce and local employers

Future projects may include programs for cosmetology; sewing; and growing seagrass, the primary food source for manatees.

“One of our long-term goals is to establish a working farm, complete with henhouses and vegetable gardens, that will not only teach a trade but also lower inmate food costs,” Reinhart said.

The Second Chance Initiative is funded solely by the Inmate Welfare Fund, which inmates contribute to every time they purchase snacks.