He further directed that the names of officers with tattoos be submitted to his office for record-keeping. A ban on tattoos among prison officers was also announced, raising questions about the correlation between body art and ‘deviance’. Tattoos have always been a form of self-expression and artistic representation.
On the other hand, debate about the connection between tattoos and criminal behaviour persists. As much as we don’t want to agree with the commissioner general’s sentiments, ink (tattoos) is also a subject of discussion among many scholars. CRIMINAL AFFILIATIONS The prevalence of tattoos in the criminal world is undeniable.
Tattoos were once considered a means of punishment in countries such as China, Russia and Japan. Visibly and permanently marking someone as a criminal on re-entry into society was employed to publicly identify and shame them. This is why tattoos are associated with wrongdoing no matter the justification.
This is reinforced by the fact that certain tattoos bear specific meanings within criminal subcultures. For instance, teardrop tattoos are often associated with acts of violence, while spider web tattoos may signify time spent behind bars. On the other hand, it is important to note that tattoos are also a form of personal expression, and have various meanings for different people.
Many get tattoos to mark important life events or to express their personal beliefs. Tattoos have also become increasingly fashionable. Therefore, it is unfa.
