Jaggers in the pokey: understanding tattooing in prisons and reacting rationally to it

The legalisation of tattooing in prisons, as well as the provision of access by inmates to professional tattooists during incarceration, have remained contentious issues between custodial and health authorities in most Western prisons. This article examines the arguments of both stakeholders as well as the attitudes of inmates vis-à-vis tattooing, and suggests a multifaceted approach that takes cognisance of inmates' motivation to have prison tattoos, and (potential) public health implications of tattooing in correctional settings.