Tattoos are designs that can be decorative, symbolic, or just for looks. People choose to get tattoos for different reasons, such as expressing themselves, honoring their culture or religion, remembering an important event or person, or simply because they appreciate art. Even though tattoos have been around for a long time, some societies still consider them inappropriate.
Some tattoos are linked to gangs and might have special symbols, numbers, or pictures that are important to that group. They are worn to show loyalty to a gang, indicate position in the group, or scare off other gangs or authorities.
Here are some common tattoos that gang members often have.
The numbers "14" and "88" are often linked to Neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs. These numbers are commonly tattooed by members of groups such as the Aryan Brotherhood.
The spiderweb tattoo is a common design that is usually tattooed on the elbow or neck, and is often linked to prison culture. Sometimes, it can represent time spent in jail, with each part of the web standing for a year in prison.
Not all spiderweb tattoos are related to criminal pasts. Some people really like the design.
A teardrop tattoo can have different meanings based on the person and culture, but it is commonly linked to crime and can show that the person has been part of violence, like murder.
A tattoo of three dots might mean "mi vida loca," which means "my crazy life" in Spanish. This tattoo can show a link to gangs or a life of crime. At the same time, it can also represent the idea of not hearing, not seeing, and not speaking about bad things.
The five-dot tattoo, called the "quincunx," is a tattoo with five dots arranged in a square shape. There are four dots at the corners and one dot in the middle. It is linked to prison culture and can represent different parts of a criminal's life.
The tattoo "MS" usually represents "Mara Salvatrucha," also called MS-13, a well-known and highly structured gang from El Salvador. The "MS" tattoo is often done by gang members or people linked to the gang to show loyalty or connection.
It's normal to be careful around people with tattoos linked to gangs, but we should remember that not everyone with these tattoos is a criminal. We shouldn't judge someone just by how they look.
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