I think the US puts too many people in jail! As for as long hair, I say more power to them!

Another unneeded arbitrary rule. Just like hair and beards in the military. Look at the Dutch military and tell me that those long haired, bearded folks aren't bad asses.
As already stated, hair is a bad place to hide contraband and pretty easy to check. Far easier than that dark place.

There are other places to hide contraband and other ways to commit suicide without long hair. As for lice there are treatments for that.

I had no idea short hair was enforced in prisons. Another good reason to stay out.

I agree with Sassy here, it belongs to the individual. I expect all my students, women and guys to tie their hair back in clinical skills labs but we could not nor would we expect they cut their hair. We do not expect men shave either. Hair can be a lovely host for lots of bugs and in healthcare it is important our students abide by strict uniform rules, however we never make anyone cut their hair. One of my personal students is a rastifari (Having never written that, it suddenly occurs to me that may be spelled incorrectly). He has fabulous dreadlocks and we had a good giggle when he snapped about 5 hair bobbles trying to tie it back. I would suggest that apart from food prep and healthcare, it really is no-one else's business. As for being prisoners, surely prisoner's have rights too!

Hair belongs to the individual not the state. Personal property. Kudos in Texas.

Why long hair? Many tribes shaved their heads, except for a scalp lock. Sounds juvenile to me.

It is about freedom of religion. Texas is very conservative and ruled by Christian law. Glad natives stood up for their rights