Prison tattoo Meanings

Prison Tattoos

Although illegal, the practise of tattooing in prison is rampant amongst inmates, particularly those with ties to gang culture. Mechanical pencils, magnets, radio transistors, staples, paper clips and even guitar strings are some of the implements used within a prison environment to carry out the process of tattooing. ​

Common Prison Tattoos and their meanings:

Teardrops:

Probably the most known of the prison tattoos, the teardrop signifies an act of revenge (commonly murder) carried out by the inmate. These tattoos are usually found on the face, with a coloured in teardrop representing a murder committed by the inmate. An outline of a teardrop shows that the inmate has murderous intent, and has made a commitment to carrying out their revenge (usually for a fallen gangmate).

3 Dots: ​

Although there are several variants of dot tattoos, each representing different aspects of prison life, the most rampant example of these would be the three dot tattoo. These dots are a widespread affiliate for Mexican gang members, and is a sign of “mi vida loca”, or “my crazy life”. They are usually found on the hand or face, and are carried out using the rudimentary practise of “stick-and-poke” tattooing.  ​

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Cobwebs:

Cobweb tattoos are a representation of a long term in prison. These tattoos are symbolic of a spider catching its prey, just like the prisoners have been captured and locked away. They can usually be found on the elbows of inmates, as the positioning is reflective of the prisoners sitting with their elbows on tables all day, giving the “spider” a chance to form its web on them.

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Five Point Crown:

The five point crown is a symbol of the “Latin Kings” gang, which is one of the biggest Hispanic gangs in America, which is based out of Chicago. The five points of the crown represent the gangs connection to the “People Nation” gang, which is represented by the number five. Unlike most prison tattoos, these tattoos are often customisable, with the use of different coloured jewels in the spires, which can have many different meanings and connotations. ​

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All Cops Are B*****ds:

Commonly found on British prisoners, the “All Cops Are B*****ds” slogan (which could date back to as early as the 20’s) is usually tattooed in acronym form, with ACAB often place found across the knuckles of inmates (or a numerical variant of the letters “1312”). ACAB has been used regularly in pop culture, but has been clamped down on by law enforces, with any reference to the slogan (such as on clothing or other apparel) carrying fines for people caught endorsing it. ​

Evil, Wicked, Mean, Nasty:

Another acronym tattoo commonly found on the knuckles of prisoners, EWMN was popularised in the 1955 film “The Night of the Hunter” by Robert Mitchum. Due to its ties to the film and pop culture amongst prisoners, this tattoo is not associated with any gangs inside or outside of prison, but remains a popular choice of tattoo for inmates. ​

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Clock Face:

Similar to the cobweb tattoo, the clock face tattoo is representative of the time spent incarcerated. Instead of a specific time on the clocks (as is usually found on clock tattoos representing a significant life event), the clocks on prison tattoos are usually handless, with no inclination to time passing or a certain time, which represents the mundane nature of serving a long sentence.  ​

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