Introduction
The ancient practice of tattooing, once considered a trademark of social outcasts and criminals, has steered back into mainstream culture at an alarming rate (Irwin 2001, Swan 2006). In western society, tattoos are often associated with antisocial behaviour. In 1895, Cesare Lombroso concluded in his study that the art of tattooing is most commonly found on the bodies of criminals (Putnins 2002). The frequency of tattoo’ are predicted to be found at higher rates in criminal subcultures than in the general public. According to the 2003 Harris poll, nearly 40 million Americans’ have at least one tattoo. The practice is becoming more popular with teenagers.
With thousands of people getting ‘inked’ everyday around the world, does this infer that they are more likely to engage into deviant behaviour such as drug abuse and criminal activity? In this proposal we will examine the relationship between tattooing and high-risk deviant behaviour among adolescents. Through exploratory inductive research we will attempt to analyze the relationship between tattoos and adolescent deviance in an attempt to see if rates of high-risk behaviour are still present in the subculture.
Literature Review
Adolescent tattooing may be an indicator of other high-risk behaviors. A large sample of American males being screened for the military showed that tattooed men when rejected at a 50% higher rate than non-tattooed males (Lander and Kohn 1943). The reasons were divided into psychological and physical categories. Lander and Kohn (1943) noted that 58% of the tattooed males where categorized as mentally unstable or socially deviant when compared to only 38% of non-tattooed in the same category. The general conclusion was that tattooed men w...
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...ending on the results, it can help increase or decrease the criminal or deviant stigma attached to bearing tattoos. We live in a hedonistic and free willed society, therefore one should not be categorized as delinquent or deviant without justifiable cause. On the other hand, the growing population of adolescents with body modifications engaging in high-risk behaviour can be more easily identified due to their markings. This makes it easier for the criminal justice system to spot the early manifestation of criminal activity. Health care officials can also use these visual cues to encourage a change of self-image by supplying teens with the knowledge and assistance to get their unwanted pieces of ink removed. Will removing the tattoo eliminate the deviant behaviour? Further research should be done on the effects of tattoo removal to an adolescent high-risk behaviour.
...siderably. From a mark of criminality to an embraced art form, the body modification has represented various expressions of the bearer’s inner self. However, despite the efforts to normalize tattoos in the society, the social stigma of deviance perceived by the larger society still remains deeply etched in the art. It is apparent that the intended message a bearer wants to communicate through a tattoo may not be perceived correctly by others. These motivations behind tattoos are filtered through cultural and historical lenses that often result in unintended perceptions of tattooed bodies. In addition, the attempts of using tattoos to change social conditions often reinforce the very conditions they seek to counter. Though these stigmas and misinterpretations see no sign of fading, tattooing will remain as a powerful vehicle of self-expression and social commentary.
As the late 90’s early 2000’s came in we were bombarded with war activity and were in high demand for troops. So as a result, the army loosened up on its requirements for enlistees. They overlooked weight standards, behavioral issues, felony charges, non- high school graduates and many more issues. While time went on they enlisted more troops than they needed, which gave them an all-time high of roughly 570,000 troops (Breaking Defense). Why is it such a big deal now that people have tattoos? Chandler states that the army wa...
Society has changed in many ways over the years; at one point tattoos were considered unprofessional and disgusting to most people, but today, they are quite common amongst young adults and people who enjoy art. Parents and people of many older generations, sometimes struggle to understand why this new interest in tattoos has been able to consume American culture so quickly. Prior to this boom of interest in tattoos, there were many horror stories that surrounded the subject due to unsanitary tools used and possible diseases a person could catch if a mistake was made. Lois Desocio is one of those adults who has struggled to understand tattoos, especially since her son Alec began to fill his body with them. As Alec’s collection of body art continues
To survive in society, one must fit in. There are many reasons that people always try to be like everyone else. Some are unsure and others are afraid of being different. Many people change themselves just to fit in. Although tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion, they are now common. In Tattoos were once a sign of rebellion – no...
In the journal titled “To Ink or Not to Ink: The Meaning of Tattoos Among College Students”, the authors discuss how students in college feel about tattoos. They address how many people do or do not have a tattoo, the meaning behind the tattoos, and why the non-tattooed students have chosen not to get one. The students with tattoos were said to of taken time to decide what their tattoos was going to be of, where they were going to have it done, and the placement of
Due to the popular demand for tattoos, these rules do little to discourage the inmates from getting more tattoos. Within the prison subculture, a good tattoo artist is held in high regard” (PAPA).
Sperry, K. (1991). Tattoos And Tattooing. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 12(4), 356. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00000433-199112000-00042
Many people have been getting tattoos lately. People of all ages have been getting them and from all different backgrounds. On a nice day in just about any public place one can spot a tattoo about every five minutes, from the business man who had a portrait of his daughter put on him to a young girl with a butterfly on her ankle and even people with extensive tattoo coverage. What is even more interesting is the rise in the number of people who are heavily tattooed and that they come from all different backgrounds. Not too long ago tattooing did not experience the popularity in mainstream culture that it does now. The question that must be asked in order to understand this fascination that popular culture has had with tattoos is why people get tattoos.
Even though tattoos are becoming part of culture and socially acceptable, the negative and prejudiced attitudes towards those with body art are still present. Not all tattoos are gang related, and one must note that they have historically been a symbol of someone’s culture or religion. Other tattoos may have just a personal meaning to its owner and was not intended to be offensive. People also do not understand that a tattoo may impede them from pursuing a professional career, regardless of their qualifications. Employers realize that the need to recruit workers from different backgrounds are important in such a competitive workforce, so they provide accommodation by having reasonable dress code policies.
Incarcerated Criminals versus Tattoos; a display form of artistic creativity, tattoos have been associated with criminals that have been incarcerated. In today’s society, convicted males and females who display their tattoos are assumed to be “hard core”. Tattoos are a representation of a person character or characteristic. Tattoos are reputations that criminals withhold that marks there place in society and while they are incarcerated. That is the reason, why many criminals have tattoos? But then again, tattoos don’t always represent toughness or hard core. There is a part of society that has a different representation for displaying art/tattoos that does not mean “hard core”. For the non-convicted criminals of society, it means beauty,
Tattoos are a controversial subject in the world we live in. The kind of people that get tattoos is now varied to almost all humans regardless of race, religion, or age. What many people fail to understand or realize is how much of an effect a tattoo can have on the rest of your life. The original tattoo stereotypes have faded from what they were many years ago and yet tattoos still have a reputation as for what kind of people get tattoos. There are many reasons as to why people would get a tattoo but there are many reason why you should think before you ink. Our society and the social media today has a huge impact on the tattoo industry. Movie stars and pop singers with many tattoos are posing as role models for our generation and
Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation.
A persons’ image is vital when meeting someone for the first time. Our peers, employers, family, superiors, even strangers that you walk past can automatically judge someone, and imagine how they present themselves to the world. Tattoos have been predominantly linked with a rebellious attitude and pictured on out of control stereotypes such as rock starts, bikers, sailors, and disobedient teenagers who want nothing more than to hack off their parents. With a new coming of age generation and a step into a more lenient and liberal society these types of patrons still participate in body art but so do doctors, lawyers, or just the run of the mill house mom. Tattoos signify religious beliefs, cultural influence, or each individual’s sole style. Body art is no longer socially offensive, employers are more apt to hiring tatted hopeful applicants, parents are warming up to the idea of their children inking their body and no longer a stranger on the street with a tattoo is necessarily prejudged as a criminal or safety hazard. Tattoos have become more evolved over the years because they have become more of a socially accepted element of the general public.
Jones, Jonathan . "Tattooing: Eye Catching- but are they art?." Guardian 23 September 2011, n.
In today’s society, over one hundred years since the days of the tattooed women in circus side shows, women who choose to tattoo themselves still meet resistance and adverse reactions. “It has been estima...