Australia from the
British Army. Skin removed post-mortem. 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. Prisoners often modified these tattoos to conceal the original design or to express wry or rebellious messages. A common prison tattoo in Australia is 'ACAC' - the initials to the derogatory phrase, 'all cops are *****'.
China Because of
Confucianism and the association with the criminal underworld, tattooing is looked down upon in
China. Traditionally, tattooing was used to mark and publicly shame criminals.
King Mu of Zhou ordered his vassal Lord Lü () to formulate the
Lü Xing. It lists the "
Five Punishments": the five primary penalties employed by ancient Chinese officials on criminals. The first (and least severe) of these punishments was the tattooing of the criminal's face with indelible ink. This punishment was known as
mò (墨) or
qíng (黥), and later called
mò xíng (墨刑) or
rù mò (入墨).
Qingling, often known as "branding the face", has been used to tattoo the faces of convicts since before the
Qin dynasty.
France In
France,
five dots tattoo resembling the dots on a die, placed on the hand between
index finger and
thumb are found on prison inmates. This tattoo represents the individual between the four walls of the prison cell (
un homme entre quatre murs—a man between four walls); this also has the same meaning in Russia, Germany and Spain. Tattoos of three dots on the hand mean "death to cops" (
mort aux vaches / flics / poulets / keufs), also used in Germany, "nichts sehen, nichts hören, nichts sagen" ("see/hear/say nothing"= no snitch/ing.) A single dot on the cheek usually means the wearer is a
pimp (
point des maquereaux). A stick figure holding a
trident is also a common French prison tattoo.
Italy Towards the end of the 19th century, Italy implemented the
Bertillonage system as a means to identify criminals; this method was used to also target anyone who was a threat to social order and was deemed "suspicious". Tattoos were not only seen on criminals but it was viewed as a common trait amongst criminals within the Bertillonage system. People with tattoos were set apart from others, and it was used as evidence that they were to be seen as different in the general public. This idea was applied to perceiving someone's psyche and deducing if they are biologically inclined to criminal behavior, as higher pain tolerance, primal nature, and shameless attitudes were associated with a predisposition towards criminal behavior.
Yakuza, the organized crime syndicate of Japan, dates back to the 17th century and maintains a strong loyalty. A form of committing is by embracing tattoos, which make them identifiable within the gang and to the public. The Yakuza's tattoos cover large areas of the body. The tattoos could cover arms, chest, back, and legs, but may not be visible when wearing traditional Japanese garments, such as a
kimono, due to the specific placement. As a member of the Yakuza, enduring the painful process of tattooing was viewed as a declaration of loyalty and courage. Modern Yakuza tattoos, with common symbols and
visual motifs, are noted for their similarity to current Western tattoo styles. Current Yakuza have full-body tattoos, typically inked in secret by tattoo artists associated with clans. Due to a clear association between tattoo artistry and crime, the practice was shortly banned following the
Meiji restoration period. During the US occupation after
World War II, this law was repealed. Because of the association of the Yakuza with tattoos, the stigmatization of tattoos in Japan has become a part of their cultural norm. As the public grew more knowledgeable about criminal activity, the portrayal of gangs became more common in popular films, which reinforced the connection between tattoos and suspected criminal behavior. Although Yakuza membership declined after the Anti-Organized Crime Law was enacted in 1991 and enforced in 1992, the gang is still active. Wearing false or unearned tattoos is punishable in the
criminal underworld. Tattoos made in a Russian prison use improvised ink and needles, and often have a distinct bluish color and usually appear somewhat blurred because of the lack of instruments to draw fine lines. Tattoos of portraits of Soviet leaders like Lenin and Stalin were applied in the belief that they would protect against execution. In addition to voluntary tattooing, tattoos are used to
stigmatize and
punish individuals within the criminal society. These tattoos 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. Tattoos on the forehead are sometimes 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 cooperation with the prison authorities. They can indicate that the holder 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) that is disapproved of by other criminals. They can also advertise that the bearer is "downcast", or of the lowest social caste in prison, usually used for the sexual gratification of higher-ranked inmates. Examples of body tattoos and their significance (these tattoos are most characteristic of the
Old Regime when the
Vory V Zakone was more structured in prisons): • American symbols, such as dollars, eagles, and the Statute of Liberty may have meanings including protest and a longing for freedom. •
Barbed wire across the forehead signifies a sentence of
life imprisonment and refusal to reform. •
Cat: a career as a thief. A single cat means the bearer worked alone; several cats mean the bearer was part of a gang. •
Cross: A small cross either on the forehead, finger, or between the thumb and forefinger is sometimes seen on convicts as a symbol of serving time in prison. There is another category of tattoos—of rings on the fingers and symbols on the hands—which informs other inmates of the bearer's rank when the bearer is clothed: A cross on the chest can represent a high ranking in the Russian mob. • Five dots: Represents time done in prison. Four of the dots represent walls, while the fifth represents the prisoner. One of the most well-known criminal tattoos is the
teardrop tattoo. This is more symbolic of criminal activity among West Coast gangs where a teardrop tattoo underneath the eye can indicate whether an individual committed murder or attempted murder. Other meanings of this tattoo are indicating time spent in prison or the loss of a loved one associated with a gang. Geographic location is commonly referred to, so another identifiable tattoo is an area code (Ex. 213 would represent Los Angeles). Hispanic gangs have a trend of using old English script and incorporating religious themes in their tattoos, as a substantial portion of members and their families are Catholic. Their tattoos are frequently larger and easily visible. Themes of racism are evident in Aryan Brotherhood gang tattoos through
white supremacist language and Nazi references. The
Alien Enemy Validation Guide includes tattoos in order to designate someone as a member of a criminal association.
Prison tattoos In the United States, the tattooing of criminals increased in the 1930s, and this could be attributed to tattooing in prisons. Although tattooing is highly prohibited in U.S. prisons, inmates take part and accept the disciplinary action often taken. Studies have shown that inmates would receive tattoos while serving their sentence are more extroverted; they have a sense of belonging and embrace being a prisoner. This trait is coupled with a lack of self-discipline. Certain tattoo designs have developed recognized
coded meanings. The code systems can be quite complex, and because of the nature of what they encode, the designs of criminal tattoos are not widely recognized as such to outsiders. Coded prison tattoos commonly found in North America: • Three dots making a triangle - typically on a hand, representing the three words "mi vida loca," Spanish for "my crazy life" • Teardrop - under the eye; multiple meanings, commonly symbolizes committing or attempted murder • Area codes - no specific location on body; gang members will identify with the area code of their neighborhood or gang's location • Spider web or clock with no hands - symbolizes time spent in prison • The number 13 - demonstrates being a member of the
Mexican Mafia, a prison gang • The number 14 - demonstrates being a member of the
Nuestra Familia, a prison gang ==Tattoos for enslaved prostitutes==