handbook I

“Prisons are archaic, brutal, unregenerative, overcrowded hell holes where the inmates are treated like animals with absolutely not one humane thought given to what they are going to do once they are released.”

– Jimmy Hoffa

Criminals enter into the prison system, and if they emerge, more than likely they will be in possession of at least one prison tattoo.  The concept of prison tattoos is not a new one.  There is evidence to show that prison ‘tatts’ were utilized in ancient Egyptian times and had symbolic meaning; usually branding the individual as dangerous; such as an assassin. Today a prison tattoo may symbolize a gang affiliation, but it can also represent the key to staying alive on the inside.  Not every prisoner is affiliated with the ‘hate movement’ before they land in jail; however once inside, it’s the racist gangs and adhering to the gang’s ideology that just might keep a prisoner alive.

In regards to prison ‘tatts’ we are not discussing getting a colorful Koi fish on your shoulder to represent being part of an Asian gang; or a professionally done tear drop as a sign of bravery.  There isn’t anything refined about a prison tattoo. You are branded as a way of surviving the social structure. How and where you are tattooed can keep you alive, sane and in control of your identity.

The proof is in the pudding, or in the case of prison tattoos, in the ink.  Makeshift inks used in prison tattoos aren’t usually sanitary or healthy to be injecting under your skin. They can contain dangerous chemicals which damage the skin and cause  permanent scarring.  Ink for a prison tattoo might come from a pen, or it might be made from melted plastic, even burned Styrofoam; whatever substance the prisoners can accumulate and melt. Sterilizing equipment is almost impossible, if the ‘artist’ even understands the importance of sterilization. Prison tattoos are done with home-made needles and tattoo guns. The “needle” might be part of a paper clip, a staple, or a bit of metal guitar string. An empty ballpoint pen holds the needle. The device may be rigged up to a small motor which makes it move up and down like a professional tattoo machine. The machines are taken out of tape players or sometimes blow dryers. Any small machine can be rigged up to work with the home-made needle. I am sure you can understand the risk of skin infection is high. However there is something far more macabre than some ugly scar tissue; diseases like Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS can be passed from prisoner to prisoner when the tattoo needles are re-used. A quarter of a million prisoners leave prison with an incurable fatal disease.

The makeshift equipment used in prison does not quite allow for the precision of a professional tattoo, and the work may be done by someone without an extended amount of experience. The ink may be placed too deep, which gives the tattoo a raised surface and causes scarring. The lines may be crooked, and the design may appear crude.

On the other hand, there are some prison tattoo artists who have gained skill and are quite talented at what they do. In fact, the style of tattooing called “fineline” may have originated in prisons. It reflects prison artists’ use of thin lines, made with single needles, to create detailed, realistic-looking drawings. Talented prison artists can create shading, as well. A prison tattoo will usually have only one color. It is most often blue or black, because those are the easiest colors to make, but if someone in the prison is able to smuggle in real tattoo ink, multi-colored tattoos are possible.

Many prison tattoos represent racist beliefs, gang affiliation, or violence. Some common symbols are: Double lightning bolts. This is a symbol borrowed from Nazi Germany. The number 88. “H” is the eighth letter of the alphabet. Double 8’s stand for “Heil Hitler.” Teardrops. In some places, a teardrop means the wearer has killed someone. It may also mean he or she has lost a close friend or family member. Ornate lettering spelling out the inmate’s gang name. Other symbols have to do with drug use. The number 13 stands for the letter “M” (the 13th letter of the alphabet). It announces the wearer’s marijuana use. And some just show that the wearer has done time in jail. Chains and locks represent loss of freedom. Hourglasses stand for “doing time.” A string of numbers may be the inmate’s prison I.D. Three dots arranged as a triangle, most commonly found between the forefinger and thumb represents “mi vida loca” ; “my crazy life”. The tear drop, worn by the eye, represents the wearer has killed somone or someone they knew was killed in prison. There is also evidence to support that “tribal” tattoos were adopted in the 80’s by rebellious Punks and Homosexuals. In trying to formalize their subculture Gays and Lesbians would wear tattoos of pink and black triangles so that they would be recognizable to other Gay’s and Lesbians not only in the outside world but in prison as well. These and other symbols are still popular today in the Homosexual community to show their Pride of being who they are and allowing themsevles to be reconized by others in their community. Even in the prison system these tattoos were used along with the others as a way of branding each person into their appropriate gang and placing them where they belong in the prison hirearchy.

Even if a prisoner manages to leave prison without catching Hepatitis C from their tattoos, they will still be left with obvious jailhouse tatties, stigmatizing them and making them pariah’s in the eyes of ‘normal’ society. This again, increases their chances of repeating their crimes and hurting innocent people. It’s true that all tattooed people have a little more difficulty finding work because of the bigotry of the ‘plainskins’, but a well-executed tasteful tattoo is far less stigmatizing than something that was obviously hand-poked in dim light behind bars using cigarette ashes and green toothpaste. Being covered in tattoos effectively branding the wearer as an incompetent loser also shatters their own self-esteem, again leading to hopelessness and continued problems for them and the community around them.

Anyone who’s been locked up can be quick to tell you that there is a unique segregation found in prisons across America. In this dangerous, melting pot environment populated by criminals of all degrees and varieties it is almost vital to survival that you quickly join a prison gang upon arrival. While segregated first by race, these gangs have their own subdivisions, not all of which get along with one another. Each subdivision has their own tattoo and you can identify them by these. While you will find many different street gangs active in prison (and vice versa) there is a fatalistic do-or-die edge given to prison gangs. And in the regulated world Maximum Security prisons, the handiwork of the tattoo artists on the inside are the most respected of talents among inmates. The bravery, designs and skills of prison tattoos have greatly influenced the popularity of certain prison tattoo designs in the outside world. As stated earlier the Tribal tattoos were first adopted outside of prison, then integrated into the prison tattooing system and now in the 21’st century Tribal tattoos are everywhere in mainstream society. As tattoos become more and more common and are increasingly accepted into our society, the designs and symbols once reserved for “prison tattoos” are also becoming more frequently worn by the mainstream. With over 25-million people in the United States alone having at least one tattoo I suggest if you do not have one you get off your high horse and suck it up otherwise you are going to the outcast in no time.