Although tattoos have become normalized in popular culture and body art in general is trendy in the general population, tattoos have traditionally served a central purpose in gang life. Gangs, including the Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, MS13, Black Gangster Disciples, Aryan Nation, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, White Supremacists, Vice Lords, Yakuza, and Radical Islamists have all used tattoos for various reasons. This review of literature shows how criminal gangs use tattoos in a general sense, by drawing on the literature in psychology and sociology. Moreover, this literature review shows how different gangs may employ tattoos for different reasons using the symbolism meaningful to them. Finally, this review of literature shows how scholarly literature on gangs and tattoos can be applied to fields like criminal justice, healthcare, and education to aid in the identification of gang members and possibly even to prevent violence. Thesis: By identifying and understanding the functions and symbols of gang tattoos, it may be possible to identify high-risk individuals and prevent crimes from taking place. Tattoos are of course not the only visual indicator of gang membership. Haircut, clothing, and the verbal and nonverbal language used can also be key indicators of one’s allegiance to a specific gang. However, tattoos remain a common indicator of gang membership. Mallon & Russel (1999) point out, “tattoos may indicate gang membership, a history of incarceration or drug abuse, sexual orientation, and more,” (p. 21). One of the reasons tattoos have been common as a visual marker of gang membership is that they can be subtle. As Struyk (2010) points out, “gang members are becoming subtler in their display of signs and paraphernalia,” (Struyk, 2010, p. 11). Phelan & Hunt (1998) also note that tattoos are integral to “communicating gang membership, status, rank, and personal accomplishments; they reflect a person's past career accomplishments and possible future career objectives,” which generally include...
277). Therefore, contemporary and emerging methods, styles, and motifs in gang tattoos may be more complex and potentially less obvious than they have been in the past in order to retain anonymity. Conveying personal and collective identities is the key to understanding gang tattoos and preventing the problems linked with gang proliferation.References
“15 Prison Tattoos and Their Meanings,” (2014). Corrections One. Retrieved online: https://www.correctionsone.com/prison-gangs/articles/7527475-15-prison-tattoos-and-their-meanings/
Jacques, S. (2016). What criminals’ tattoos symbolize: Drawing on Darwin, Durkheim, and Lombroso. Deviant Behavior. DOI: 10.1080/01639625.2016.1197606
Mallon, W.K. & Russell, M.A. (1999). Clinical and forensic significance of tattoos. Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal 21(3): 21-29.
Phelan, M.P. & Hunt, S.A. (1998). Prison gang members’ tattoos as identity work. Symbolic Interaction 21(3): 277-298.
Struyk, R. (2010). Gangs in our schools. The Clearing House 80(1): 11-13.
Along with being a working class symbol, tattoos have ostracized many foreign cultures from modern societies (Atkinson, 2004). For hundreds of years, continuing into today's world, scholarly views of tattooing have labeled the practice as deviant, abnormal, and anti-social, (Atkinson, 2004). Many Europeans and Americans frowned upon tattoos as being symbols of primitivism and heathenism. Also, tattoos have been used in prisons and in criminal organizations as marking devices.
Government Since gang-related crimes fall within the jurisdiction of state, this research will give an insight on the need to find solutions that increasingly include all levels of government. Congress needs to pass legislation that will change immigration enforcement laws and make more aliens deportable. In addition, the federal government should take a more active participation in helping local and state jurisdictions develop anti-gang responses. The local, state and federal governments
One of the most popular subcultures in America is the tattoo subculture. Over the span of roughly half a century, tattooing emerged from being a trend among sailors, circus performers and side show freaks to being body ink sported by bikers, convicts, professional athletes, actors, musicians, Millennials, hipsters, Moms, Dads, and just about everyone in between. Thanks to trend setters in popular media, tattooing broke out into the mainstream in
Because tattooing was not only a symbolic of wealth, but also represented strength and power, chiefs and warriors usually had the most elaborate tattoos (History 2006). Therefore, men who had no tattoos were held in little regard and even despised, while men whose bodies were totally tattooed, "the to-oata," were held in great esteem (History 2006). When a female reached the age of twelve years, her right hand was tattooed,
The Prohibition made these mobsters however more daring and they begun to become involved in criminal operations that affected the American communities as well. Aside the Prohibition, it has to be stated that at that time, the United States was also facing severe economic problems. This was as such the moment organized crime was born. There were numerous nations conducting illicit operations during Prohibition, including the Irish, the Jews,
Warriors This is one of the few instances I can recall in which the film was more enjoyable than the book. Both media portray the subject identically in some respects: this is the fictional account of a New Zealand family decimated by alienation from their Maori warrior roots, and by the domestic violence, poverty, alcoholism and nearly overwhelming hopelessness oozing from that rupture. In addition, the media share most factual
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