Anyone know anything about prison tattoos?

mizzannie

Hi there - I'm doing some research on prison tattoos in Dublin. Anyone know what they are? And what they signify? And where on the body they might be? Any info gratefully received!

Thanks
Mizzannie

DublinWriter

AFAIK self-made 'dots' made with Indian Ink between the thumb and forefinger usually represent the number of years someone has been in borstal. I'm not sure about 'regular' jail tattoos.

mizzannie

Thanks for that. I was on to Mountjoy prison today who also mentioned the dots on the knuckles and a dot on the cheek.

Thanks again

garthv

A swallow on the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger is also a sign of someone whos spent time in jail.

I was told a spiderweb on the elbow, the more lines to the web, the more years you spent behind bars, not too sure about this one!

Blub2k4

GaRtH_V wrote:

I was told a spiderweb on the elbow, the more lines to the web, the more years you spent behind bars, not too sure about this one!

Spiderwebs on the elbows were traditionally the mark of a murderer, not sure where the tradition came from and not sure about the Irish usage of it, although "spides" is the term up North for what we in the South would call "skangers" and that comes from the spider tattoo on the elbow.

Blub2k4

Personally I think that the prison tattoo here has less of a tradition than in the US where I was told by an older friend that has a weed leaf in the web of his hand that he wore it to let the others know what he was in for.
He said you had to wear your badges over there to show what group you belonged in.

Eire_Tattoo

Spider webs were first used on the elbows as they covered the most area for the least amount of tattooing. But there are probably variations over the years on different uses of the tattoo. Prisoners mark their years using a star also with a point for each year. The barb wire tattoo started off a prisoner tattoo also, with a barb added for each year in prison.

TheMilkyPirate

A teardrop under your eye also represents a stint in the joint.

BreadBoard

The tattoo of dots between the index finger and thumb - 4 dots in a square and one in the middle, is a representation of being a prisoner alone in his cell.

Behind four walls !

The tattoo on the cheek is borstal related.

ShayHT

Doesnt the teardrop mean a loved one has died while being in prison?

Blub2k4

ShayHT wrote:

Doesnt the teardrop mean a loved one has died while being in prison?

Not necessarily, the Sicilian Camorra (Mafia) collect a teardrop per person they've murdered.

Will

yeah as far as i know each time they kill someone they get the outline of a tear drop done, for two people they fill in the tear drop, and so on.

dont forget the yakuza, things they used to do in prison...crazy men