Prison tattoos speak a language all their own – and it’s often a coded one. For example, various symbols and code words and numbers may indicate what a prisoner is in for.
An image of a cat indicates burglary; a group of cats mean that the thief was part of a gang. Spider webs across the shoulders speak of the amount of time spent in prison; tombstones mean a wasted life. These prison tattoos are worn as badges of honor, of a sort – though sometimes tattoo designs also propagate hate.
Currently, a controversy is arising with regard to a harm reduction program in American prisons. Professional tattooing is being offered as a service in some prisons, in recognition of the fact that prisoners are always going to acquire tattoos, so they might as well do it safely rather than with makeshift equipment. This is a contrast to the approach that was taken in previous years, when there were tattoo removal programs in place to help prisoners re-integrate into society.
