Criminal tattoo

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Tattoos are used among criminals to show membership of gangs and record the wearer's personal history - such as his or her skills, specialties, accomplishments and convictions. They are also used as a means of personal expression. Certain designs have developed recognized coded meanings. The code systems can be quite complex and because of the nature of what they encode, the tattoos are not widely recognized.

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[edit] Britain and Ireland

A.C.A.B. is an acronym often integrated into prison tattoos in the United Kingdom. It is most commonly rendered with one letter between the knuckle and first joint of each finger, sometimes as symbolic small dots with or without the accompanying letters. A.C.A.B. can stand for All Coppers Are Bastards, or Always Carry A Bible, depending on who is asking and whether the bearer is trying to make a good impression. The British Oi! Punk band, the 4-Skins popularized the acronym A.C.A.B. in their 1970's song of the same name. It is currently in common usage as a phrase and tattoo amongst the radical European football fans known as Ultras. A similar tattoo consists of the letters A.P.A.B. (All Pigs Are Bastards, "pig" in this context being derogatory slang term for police officer).

The Borstal mark (or "Borstal spot") is an Indian ink dot, usually located between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Borstals were UK youth detention centers, and the mark was traditionally obtained during an offender's first period of imprisonment. An older, now rarely seen[citation needed], version was to have the dot on the left cheekbone. The borstal mark has been considered a status symbol among some criminals. The "Borstal Glove" consists of an tattooed outline of the back of the hand.

[edit] Australia

Prisoners who were transported from Britain to Australian penal colonies between 1787 and 1867 were sometimes tattooed with marks intended to signify disgrace, for example D for deserter. However, prisoners often modified these tattoos to conceal the original design or to express wry or rebellious messages.[1]

[edit] Filipino gangs

A tattoo of a Question Mark (?) located on any part of the body is a mark of the infamous Filipino gang B.N.G. or Bahala Na Gang ("Come What May"), known for being especially violent and dangerous.

A tattoo that appears like a U.F.O is commonly seen among members of "Sputnik Gang", from the famous Russian spacecraft Sputnik.

These gangs have been around since as early as the 1950s.

[edit] North American

See also: Three Dots Tattoo

A tattoo of three dots in a triangle, usually found between the thumb and forefinger, stands for "mi vida loca" ("my crazy life"). Along with the pachuco cross, it is a popular "generic" tattoo among Latino teenagers, and has no direct connection to gangs. The tattoo has also been adopted by Vietnamese teenagers, along with the similar interpretation of "tôi không cần gì cả" ("I need nothing"). A teardrop tattoo is said to indicate that the wearer has killed someone or a friend of his/hers was killed in prison. It is worn by the eye.

Other common tattoos are names of relatives or gang members, symbols of aggression (such as skulls), tattoos advertising a particular skill, or (among Latino prisoners) religious imagery.[1] A tattoo of a clock with no hands is often found on the upper arm of a convict, meaning "until the end of time" (life sentence).

[edit] Aryan Brotherhood

A tattoo of a shamrock is associated with the white supremacist prison gang known as the Aryan Brotherhood. But many people with Irish descent who are not at all affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood often have shamrock tattoos. These people who are jailed are forced to cover these tattoos by the AB as they aren't allowed to wear the AB tattoo even though it is generally percieved as an Irish symbol. Inside each of the three leaves of the shamrock is often found the number six. St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach ancient druids the holy trinity, and by adding a 6 in each leaf the Aryan Brotherhood makes a comment of turning good to evil. They are also known to hide the 666 or the letters "AB" in other, more mundane tattoos. The Aryan Brotherhood is also known to use 12 as an identifier, with the 1 symbolizing the letter A, and the 2 symbolizing the letter B. Another white supremacist gang, the Aryan Circle, uses "13" as their symbol, with the same derivation.

[edit] Mara Salvatrucha

A tattoo of the number 13 might indicate membership of the Mexican Mafia or just being of Mexican descent. Mara Salvatrucha 13(MS13) uses "13" as a form of respect to the Mexican Mafia(La Eme) and Sureno 13 because they are of Central American origin, not Mexican. Because many Central Americans began moving into southern California, the gang was created for protection purposes against the Mexican gangs that outnumbered them. Sureños, created in the California prison system to show separation between Southern Californians from Northern Californians. Blue is used by 13 and red by 14. The 13 or X3 stands for the 'M' in Mexican Mafia, M being the thirteenth letter of the alphabet. The Mexican Mafia, called La EME, and affiliated with the Sureños, uses a double M insignia or a hand (usually black).

[edit] Nuestra Familia

A tattoo of the number 14 is associated with the prison gang Nuestra Familia, which is associated with the Northern California street gang the Norteños. The Sureños and Norteños are sworn enemies both in prison and on the streets. A tattoo of 13 ½ means 12 jurors, 1 judge, a half assed lawyer or half a chance.

[edit] Area codes

It is a common practice for Californian street gangs of all races and ethnic backgrounds to have the telephone area code of their neighborhood tattooed (e.g. 213, 818, 310). This practice is also common place in New Mexico where many gang members display the state's original area code (505). With the frequent changes in California area codes, this can quickly become outdated.

[edit] Russia

Russian criminal tattoos, as depicted in the movie Eastern Promises have a complex system of symbols which can give quite detailed information about the wearer. Not only do the symbols carry meaning but the area of the body on which they are placed may be meaningful too. The initiation tattoo of a new gang member is usually placed on the chest and may incorporate a rose. A rose on the chest is also used within the Russian Mafia. Wearing false or unearned tattoos is punishable by death in the criminal underworld. Tattoos can be voluntarily removed (for loss of rank, new affiliation, "life style" change, etc.) by bandaging magnesium powder onto the surface of the skin, which dissolves the skin bearing the marks with painful caustic burns. This powder is gained by filing "light alloy" e.g. lawnmower casing, and is a jailhouse commodity.

Tattoos done in a Russian prison have a distinct blueish color and usually appear somewhat blurred because of the lack of instruments to draw fine lines. The ink is often created from burning the heel of a shoe and mixing the soot with urine, and injected into the skin utilizing a sharpened guitar string attached to an electric shaver.

In addition to voluntary tattooing, tattoos are used to stigmatize and punish individuals within the criminal society. They may be placed on an individual who fails to pay debts in card games, or otherwise breaks the criminal code, and often have very blatant sexual images, embarrassing the wearer. The victim of a forcibly applied tattoo is nevertheless required to pay the tattoo artist for his work.

Tattoos on the forehead are usually forcibly applied, and designed both to humiliate the bearer and warn others about him or her. They frequently consist of slurs about the bearer's ethnicity, sexual orientation, or perceived collusion with the prison authorities. They can indicate that the bearer is a member of a political group considered offensive by other prisoners (e.g. Vlasovite), or has been convicted of a crime (such as child rape) which is disapproved of by other criminals.

Tattoos that consist of political or anti-authoritarian statements are known as 'grins'. They are often tattooed on the stomach of a vor v zakone, as a means of acquiring status in the criminal community. A Russian criminologist, Yuri Dubyagin, has claimed that, during the Soviet era, there existed 'secret orders' that an anti-government tattoo must be 'destroyed surgically', and that this procedure was usually fatal. Consequently, such tattoos were also sometimes applied forcibly to the back of a violator of the 'thieves' code', as punishment.

[edit] The four suits:

  • Spades - the "suit of thieves".
  • Clubs - a "criminal" suit that represents a sword (mostly exwarriors).
  • Diamonds - the "chummy suit" (i.e. stool pigeons and informers). This suit is usually forcibly applied.
  • Hearts - a sexual symbol. It marks the wearer out as a "passive homosexual"/sex object within the prison/sex toy.

[edit] Other symbols

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13 1/2 - Represents 1 judge, 12 jurors, and half a chance.[2]

  • Crucifix- a cross worn on the chest signifies a "Prince of Thieves", the highest possible rank. If the crucifix is topped by a crown then it means the wearer is a pakhan - a leader of a thieves family.
  • 'Grins' - these are humorous tattoos usually incorporating a grinning face and are often accompanied by text. The butt of the grin/joke in will often be the prison authorities.
  • Snakes - a snake around the neck/shoulders mean that the wearer feels that the Soviet/Communist party system still has a hold on them, still adversely affecting their lives.
  • 'Lawnmower'* - This means the person is a transvestite
  • Tigers - signifies an 'enforcer', or a sign of an avenger, geared at times at guards and prison authority.
  • Five Dots - The dots are assembled in the same fashion that the number five on a dice. Its meaning varies, but sometimes can symbolize a cop surrounded by four criminals. (In Romanian prisons it symbolizes man stuck between four walls.)[3].
  • Cats - the cat is associated with the characteristics needed by a thief (slyness). The most common thief tattoo. Normally tattooed as a pair on the upper chest.
  • Skulls - these are usually worn by high ranking gang members, interpreted to mean a murderer.
  • Eyes - Various meanings: if on the upper/middle torso they literally mean that the wearer is keeping their eyes open and it isn't a derogatory/forced tattoo. If placed on lower backside that is to show that the prisoner is used for sexual gratification. If the eyes are tattooed in the lower groin/hip high area (thus creating a 'face' when his trousers are dropped - with the penis becoming the nose) someone with that tattoo is known as 'humiliated' or 'a Downcast'.
  • Barbed wire - Often the prison term in years is shown by the number of 'barbs' on the wire. If seen on the forehead this is seen as a symbol of life imprisonment without chance of parole.
  • Swastika/Nazi symbols - are a sign of rebellion against Russian prison authority, but can also be used as a symbol for life imprisonment. Doesn't actually mean that the wearer is a Nazi sympathiser. On the face it is worst possible punishment - denotes a "bottom" who is either anyone's sex slave or, in short term, marked for exclusive rape by punishers. "Bottoms" are the most despised.
  • Stars - stars commonly represent time served; each point indicates a year served in jail or if stars are tattooed on knees it means you bow to no authority. If they are paired on the chest, you are a high ranking member.
  • Double Sig runes - One who does not confess, also tattooed as sign of rebellion to authority, again not usually associated with the Nazi symbol.
  • Churches - The number of dome towers (cupolas) indicates either number of prison terms or number of years of the sentence.
  • Setting sun - this tattoo is usually accompanied by birds flying over the horizon. It represents freedom.
  • Knight or Crusader - a knight in full armor indicates a sadist, an inmate accused of hooliganism, assault and battery. Also indicates prison 'enforcers' or tattooed for racist meanings.
  • Genie - a Genie and a lamp indicate inmates serving time for drug-related crimes.
  • Dagger - sexual predator or, if the dagger is tattooed on the shoulders with blood dripping from the end of blade, it means you are a killer, a man to be feared or called upon when in need of an accomplice for a murder.
  • Bells - Literally signifies that the wearer will serve his full given sentence, from "bell call to bell call". He cannot get parole because he has been convicted of a very serious crime. Shows high ranking and will get respect in prison.
  • Candle sticks - wearer is saying he can extinguish your light, beware.
  • Butterflies - show the wearer is trustworthy, and an escape artist. Can mean wearer is a drug buyer - whereas posterior of "butterfly" ends in syringe-like tail. Can be combined with "spiders" and "webs" if trafficking.
  • Stalin and Lenin faces - considered sacred in the days of the Soviet Union, so inmates would tattoo the faces over their hearts and vital organs so guards would not hit or shoot them in that spot of the body. Nowadays these tattoos are rarely used. In fact religious icons have replaced it - that guards would not desecrate a sacred image or that its "holiness" will deflect harm.
  • Sailing Ship - This means that the wearer is willing to come along with an escape plan. Anyone planning an escape will know that the wearer will be keen to be a part of it.
  • Crown - The Crown on any part of the body indicates a leader or "King", the head of a family.
  • Mary - holding a baby Jesus - wearer has been a thief/criminal from their early days.
  • Rose - The wearer celebrated a teenage birthday in the zone (prison).
  • Pornographic tattoos - these tattoos can represent a length of commitment in the navy or can be forcibly applied because of failure to pay gambling debts or other infractions of the thieves code.
  • Eagle - Proud badge of grand thief or bandit. Usually large and prominent.
  • Bull - Pimp or sex trafficker. Can mean a hireable body-guard.
  • Rampant Stallion - Brothel keeper. Above a "bull" means owner has "graduated" to this position from time served as pimp.

[edit] Egyptian tattoos

[edit] References

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ a b Niyi Awofeso (June 2004). "Prison argot and penal discipline". Journal of Mundane Behavior 5 (1). 
  2. ^ http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=13+1%2F2
  3. ^ Página/12 Web :: Sociedad :: Un manual de tatuajes tumberos

[edit] Other sources

[edit] See also

[edit] External links