A state prison inmate who is a Rastafarian must get his hair cut, even if it violates his religion, a Commonwealth Court panel ruled Monday.

In this case, prison regulations regarding safety and hygiene override Oris Alvin Barner's beliefs, the judges found.

They reached that conclusion is upholding a Schuylkill County judge's dismissal of a lawsuit Barner filed against officials of the state prison at Mahanoy. Barner claimed the hair cutting mandate violates his constitutional right to practice his religion.

Rastafarians believe they should never cut their hair or apply unnatural substances to it. That rule meshes with the religion's mandate to treat the body as a temple. Barner contended that his refusal to submit to the barber resulted in punishments, including being restricted to his cell, Judge P. Kevin Brobson noted in the state court opinion.

Yet, the judge found, Barner's suit is frivolous, even if his religious beliefs are genuine. Brobson cited prior court rulings that upheld the power of prison officials to institute policies, such as restrictions on hair length, even if those policies impede an inmate's religious practices.

Restrictions on hair length serve a legitimate purpose of promoting hygeine, aiding in inmate identification and preventing prisoners from hiding weapons and contraband, the judge noted.

"Hair length and grooming policies serve legitimate penological interests and to the extent such policies infringe on Barner's constitutional rights, such infringement is permissible," Brobson wrote.

Records show Barner, 33, of Philadelphia, was committed to prison on drug convictions.