Jail staff can stay safer by knowing as much as they can about inmates. Here are 15 tattoos and their meanings. Do you know a different meaning for the tattoos displayed here?
The numbers 14 or 88 on their own can also be used, which sometimes creates confusion. The 88 is shorthand for the 8 th letter of the alphabet twice, HH, which represents Heil Hitler. Typically, these tattoos can be found anywhere on the body. Cobwebs typically represent a lengthy term in prison. The symbolism is associated with spiders trapping prey; or criminals trapped behind bars.
This tattoo is commonly found on the elbow, signifying sitting around so long with your elbows on the table that a spider made a web on your elbow, though it can also be located on the neck. In some places, the tattoo can mean a lengthy prison sentence, while in others it signifies that the wearer has committed murder. If the teardrop is just an outline, it can symbolize an attempted murder. The teardrop has been popularized by rappers and other celebrities, but still remains a staple in prisons.
Those who are newbies behind bars with a teardrop tattoo will make a lot of enemies, fast. This is the symbol of the Latin Kings gang, which is one of the biggest Hispanic gangs in the U. The five points are due to the Latin Kings being an affiliate of the People Nation gang, which is represented by the number five. Latin Kings have a huge presence both in and out of prison, and their roots go back to the s.
Other details of the crown, such as the colors of the jewels in the points, can have a whole other level of hidden meanings. This tattoo is typically found on the hands or around the eyes. The three-dot tattoo is often created using a stick-and-poke method, requiring very rudimentary tools. These dots differ greatly from the previous tattoo โ five dots represent time done in prison. Also known as the quincunx, the four dots on the outside represent four walls, with the fifth on the inside representing the prisoner.
