From prison to the bricks

Just for the sake of arguement.... If prisons allowed "qualified" inmates to practice tattooing in a as close to professional setting as can be allowed, would the prision style of tattoo be more accepted on the streets or is there already to much of a "stigma" with prison tattoos? Would it even be consider a "prison tattoo" if that where the case? Just curious to see what the Pros in the field think.....J

with as many different styles of tattooing there are today, I dont think the old chain gang style is looked down on too much anymore, also there are some incredible tattoos comming out of prisons that I dont feel can be catagorized with the prison style of years back, granted, the health risks of getting tattooed in prison are great, again however, great work is great work. I hear tell of a couple of prisons that allow tattoo equipment to be ordered from catalogs, and they allow it as a trade. I do not know if this rumor is true or not, just wanted to add what I have heard.

I read about this years ago ,i thought it was a great idea. Anthony Sharratt has been giving illegal tattoos to other inmates inside prison for the last 20 years. Now, the convicted murderer works as the resident tattoo artist in the maximum-security Atlantic Institution in Renous People have been known to put cigarette ashes, mixed with toothpaste under the skin. As far as needles are concerned, I've seen guys use sewing needles, sharpened paper clips, the twist ties off cookie bags." And he's tired of watching people get sick from sharing needles. "When you run low on supplies, people will scrimp and use possibly ink over and needles over and that's why the creation of the shop like this. For me, that's the overriding factor. Four out of five of my friends are infected with hepatitis, and those are the ones who know about it." Now, Corrections Canada is cleaning up what Sharratt calls a reality of prison culture. It is spending $700,000 to set up six in-prison parlours across the country. The funding comes from the federal government under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. Acting warden David Niles hopes the year-long pilot project will eliminate another reality of prison culture: the staggering infection rates in prison. An inmate is 10 times more likely to have HIV, and 25 times more likely to have Hepatitis C, than a person on the street. Officials believe sharing needles is partly to blame for the high infection levels. Niles said the prison system has to deal with the health issues, and the inmates will eventually return to the community for more care. "It costs about $20,000 to $25,000 annually to care for someone with HIV or Hep C, and if we can reduce even by one or two cases, that is going to save the taxpayer in the long run." The tattoo program tattoo designs have to be approved a two-hour session costs $5 the parlous opened Sept. 1, 2005 several dozen tattoos have been completed A two-hour session costs $5, or around 80 per cent of the daily wage a prisoner would make working on the inside. Ralph White, who is in the tattoo chair on this day, said getting a safe tattoo is worth the money. "I wouldn't have gotten one on the units, just cuz the chance of getting a disease, it's just too high," said the convicted murderer. The rules for tattoos are strict, nothing above the collar, below the wrists or on the genitals. And no numbers or gang symbols. There are also strict controls on the tattoo equipment. Everything in the parlour is counted before and after each visit to ensure it doesn't make it to the prison floor.

I had read in one of the more popular tattoo magazines awhile back an article from someone wanting to know why they have never seen any layouts of tattoos done in prison. The response from the editor was that they choose not to showcase that type of work for various reasons. (I will have to find that article when I get home and get back to that.) If the old school style of prison tattoos have faded out and blended in with more modern stylings and, in addition, prisons that are allowing the craft as a trade, would there be mixed signals from the industry and public of "glamorizing" tattooing in prisons and showcasing the work coming out of those institutions?....Or do you think it would be accepted purely as art and not "Lil' Al makin' a buck in the brink"?

Let me re-phrase this.... What "types" of mixed reactions would come out of the tattoo industry and society if prison tattooing were given a place in the spotlight? Who would have a harder time accepting it more? The public or the pros? .... maybe that is a better question.

depends in what media it comes out ..if its in a tattoo mag the general public wont see it by large .........if its on an episode of oprah then..........

The mags would be a given. True, that not an overwhelming number of people read them compaired to others. That doesn't mean the word wouldn't spread. Who's to say that wouldn't be the springboard to some type of broadcasted documentary whether it happened to be PBS or NBC.

... I guess I limited the discussion when I said, "Just curious to see what the Pros think...." Of course I would like input from everyone. I only bring up this subject because: 1. I was employeed at a prison and ( I'm snitching on myself) saw first hand the work being done and how it was done. 2. I am trying to establish a broad prospective of tattooing and where it's various places in society for my own knowledge. I realize I could find that just as easy in books or pre-recorded documentaries, but actual input from those in the industry and the true fans of the art adds a little more substance.... and 3. I work security at a state hospital that lends enough free time for me to learn about these things as well as practice drawing all day long....

I think The WHOLE Idea of LEGAL and SAFE tattooing in Prison is one of the Greatest Ideas and sould be persued as it already is in Canada with the fastest expedience possible! period.

I can see this being a real nightmare for the powers that be ...who decides who tattoos( every convict in prison is a tattoo artist!) but if it keeps ONE person from getting aids or hep wouldn't it be worth it? AND lemme tellya there are some BADASS tattoo artists in lock up!!

The "prison tattoo shop " will be staffed by tattoo artists from the outside, and will feature full state employee health benefits for the artist and his/her family. With a pension plan and retirement. They will accept tips of cigarettes and man ho's.

This senario stems from a recent conversation I had.....If you were incarcerated for any length of time in a correctional facility, would you rather run a "tattoo shop" from your cell knowing that the equipment you are working with consists of a guitar needles, boiled india ink, a tape recorder motor, an ink pen tube, soot, aa battery power source, and a lamp cord. But at the same time have more of a potental to turn a "profit" from smokes, food, "other things", etc and risk the sterility factor to practice tattooing, ....or would you rather take the time lobbying to get a proper set up and make it legit within the system although by doing this you sacrifice the ability to practice your craft all for the sake of "safety"?

yeah i read about the canadian tattoo system thing as well and thought it was a great idea. now the question is if they were hiring "outside" artists who would go and tattoo in prison? my wife has great health benefits and all so im set in that department. i wouldnt mind getting the paid vacation and holiday thing though. i guess you wouldnt have to worry about the guy up the street taking clientle either, huh? so who would and woulndt work in a prison? and what other positive/negative things can you think of...

I HAVE worked in a prison ...but in a cell NOT in "the mans "tattoo shop...and who would work in a prison (besides convicts?)..I know...we could get em to hire all the students from the tattoo schools! Yeah! That works for me...hey...5 bucks for 2 hours of work...seems about right don't it?

i got it maybe the prisons need to start an apprenticeship program. well see how bad everyone wants to learn to tattoo then.

when it comes to sterility, i will take the pro artist that may cost me over $300 for that tat i want instead of going for the $5 job... i care way more about health then the money... it's nice for the inmates, but let it stay there... if they opening it up to the public for work... whoa!

First off, they would NEVER open that to the public! There are to many liabilities and risks...but wouldn't the same go for the inmates? That's a fucked up thing... An inmate could get a tattoo by an artist in a cell, get a disease, but would never snitch him out if he valued his life....but if that same inmate gets a tattoo in "the Man's Tattoo Parlor", gets a disease, then the state would catch the heat... Or is that too general?.... Wow! I forgot how crazy prison politics were! Thoughts anyone?

http://convictsandcops.com/images/tat-descrip-2.gif http://convictsandcops.com/images/tat-descrip-1.gif