Full Answer
What do Aryan Brotherhood tattoos mean?
Aryan Brotherhood tattoos come in many sizes, shapes and designs. All of them signify membership to the primary gang for Caucasians in prison and are often accompanied by other forms of white supremacist body art (more below).
Is the Ace of clubs considered an Aryan tattoo?
Just being Irish or of Irish descent, doesn't make you a candidate for the Aryan Brotherhood. I think the Ace of Clubs, which looks somewhat like a clover is also considered an AB tatt. Alastar Packer from North Carolina on February 14, 2012:
What is the meaning of the Indian warrior tattoo?
INDIAN WARRIOR This tattoo is found mostly on Native Americans that have served prison time. Texas, Arizona and Missouri state prisons are the predominant facilities where this tattoo is worn. It is used by several criminal street gangs. It symbolizes an Indian warrior; each feather represents a crime committed against white society.
Why did the Aryan Brotherhood attack African-Americans?
They decided to strike against the African-Americans who were forming their own militant group called the Black Guerrilla Family. In the early 1970s, the Aryan Brotherhood had a connection with Charles Manson and the Manson Family. Several members of the Manson Family were in prison at the time, and they attempted to join forces.
What is the Aryan Brotherhood?
The Aryan Brotherhood is the most ruthless, vicious and unrelenting gang ever founded. They live by a code of violence and make merchandise of death, drugs, prostitution, and firearms. The Brotherhood is a white racist prison gang called the Aryan Brotherhood or AB Brand. They have been a scourge to the American prison and society at large, ...
Who were the founders of the Aryan Brotherhood?
The origins of the AB Brand can be traced back to San Quentin Prison in the early days but rose to prominence under Barry Mills and Tyler Bingham who were serving multiple life sentences. These two were instrumental in creating and developing the gang’s power structure in 1980.
What is the tattoo called for probate?
The major entry-level tattoo for a new member (called a probate) is the Brand Patch consisting of a shamrock, the letters “AB”, lightning bolts and the number “666”. As a member grows through the ranks (usually by beating down guards or killing a black or Hispanic inmate) they earned other tattoos like: The eagle “War Bird”.
What is the meaning of the SS lightning bolt?
SS lightning bolt – for beating down someone. Red lightning bolt – for murdering someone. The Nazi Swastika. An Iron Cross. However, defaulting members are ordered to ink out their tattoos or have it burned off them by force. The Brotherhood lives by a very strict code of ‘Blood in Blood out’.
What is the meaning of the shamrock tattoo?
The shamrock is a common image in tattoos worn by members of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist prison gang related to the Neo-Nazis. There are many ways to denote the Aryan Brotherhood, including the letters AB, the numbers 12, representing the first and second letters of the alphabet. The number of the beast, 666, is also commonly used in ...
What does a prison tattoo mean?
Photo Source. Prison tattoos are an infamous, and sometimes integral, part of prison life— They can symbolize toughness or refusal to accept authority. They can also be gang symbols or racist signs. Prison tattoos are done in the most primitive and rudimentary of ways— With home-made needles and tattoo guns.
What does a cross on the chest mean?
Cross on the Chest (Russian) In the Russian prison system, a cross tattoo on the chest symbolizes a "Prince of Thieves. ". This is the highest rank a Russian convict can achieve, and are usually worn by higher ranks of the Russian mob or KGB.
What does a teardrop mean?
The teardrop can also mean that the wearer is mourning the loss of a family member. A clear teardrop, like the one pictured, can mean that the wearer has committed an attempted murder, or alternatively, that a close friend or family member was killed and the wearer is seeking revenge. 6.
1. Aryan Brotherhood Prison Tattoos
Aryan Brotherhood tattoos come in many sizes, shapes and designs. All of them signify membership to the primary gang for Caucasians in prison and are often accompanied by other forms of white supremacist body art (more below).
2. Nortenos vs. Surenos
According to author Karen Kinnear, in 1968 California prison inmates were separated into two rival groups, Norteno (northerner) and Sureno gangs (southerner). This separation was based on the locations of the prisoner’s hometowns.
3. Spiderweb Tattoos
The spiderweb tattoo has a lot of different meanings but is most often associated with a criminal tattoo signifying the process of doing time in prison.
4. Latin Kings Prison and Gang Tattoos
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons, Javier Ramirez via Wikimedia Commons CC BY SA 3.0
5. African American Gang Tattoos
Any teen growing up in the 1990s heard about and watched films about the feuding LA gangs the Crips and Bloods. These gangs are still in operation today – however in prison they tend to band together.
6. The Japanese Yakuza
Japan’s extraordinary underworld and their distinct tattoos have been featured in more than half a century’s film and television, from The Simpsons to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill trilogy.
7. Russian Prison Tattoos
While elements have been co-opted into the US prison system, inmates from the former Soviet Union are literally walking bibliographies of crime at every level.
What does it mean to get a tattoo on your face?
Getting inked on the face or hands is a serious step, as getting one there marks you for all the world to see. There are few people willing to go through life with a "brand" on their faces, especially one that marks them as a criminal. In prisons and jailhouses, the face and hand tattoos are the most telling of all.
What does a tattoo on your elbow mean?
Other Common Prison Tattoos. Spiderwebs, often seen on the elbow, usually represent a long time in prison — so long the wearer is covered in cobwebs. This design represents how the wearer is stuck behind bars like a fly in a spiderweb.
What is the Hells Angels tattoo number?
Jon on September 24, 2012: One gang tattoo that has yet to be mentioned is 666, one of the two support numbers used by the Hells Angels motorcycle club along with the number 81 , particularly is those tattoos are in red ink. Lela (author) from Somewhere near the heart of Texas on September 23, 2012:
Why do women put teardrops on their faces?
Sometimes women will put a teardrop on their face if their man has died or gone to prison. Teardrops on the left side of the face can mean something different from teardrops on the right. Only the wearer knows for sure what it means. Teardrops can be filled in, half-filled in, or empty.
Why do tattoos look rough?
Lack of equipment and sterile conditions can lead to health risks like infection or diseases (including hepatitis, HIV, tetanus, and many others). This is why most prison tattoos look rougher than professional ones and represent an additional level of danger and risk.
Why do prisoners get tattoos?
Many prisoners do so in order to affirm and convey gang membership, indicate their rank in that gang, or to display their ability to endure pain, while others choose designs that symbolize their time inside or use the tattoo as a sign or code to display their crimes on their skin for all to see.
Why are Native Americans gangs?
Native American Gangs have formed all over the country in response to the other gangs crowding in on them. Native Americans may be associated with outlaw biker gangs. They do tend to protect Native American interests in and out of prison. At best, these gangs help protect Native Americans.
What does the tattoo on the Aryan Brotherhood mean?
The image was either a green shamrock (also called, "the rock"), the letters AB, or the number 666. "The brand" meant the inmate belonged to Aryan Brotherhood.
When did the Aryan Brotherhood start?
Organization. After its formation in California prisons in the mid-1960s, the Aryan Brotherhood had spread to most California prisons by 1975 . After some of its leaders were sent to federal prisons, they took the opportunity to start organizing inside the federal prison system.
What group did the Aryan Brotherhood strike against?
They decided to strike against the African-Americans who were forming their own militant group called the Black Guerrilla Family. In the early 1970s, the Aryan Brotherhood had a connection with Charles Manson and the Manson Family.
How many members are there in the Aryan Brotherhood?
The Aryan Brotherhood, also known as the Brand or the AB, is a neo-Nazi prison gang and organized crime syndicate based in the United States which has an estimated 15,000–20,000 members both in and out of prison. The Anti-Defamation League calls it the "oldest and most notorious racist prison gang in the United States".
What does the blood in blood out motto mean?
Other means of identification of group membership were the "blood in, blood out" motto symbolizing life-long membership with no exit other than death, and "the pledge", an eight-line oath that each new member had to swear.
What are the tattoos of the Brotherhood?
This prison gang has a variety of tattoos to look out for, ranging from ‘AB’ to Nazi symbols like a swastika or SS bolts. The Brotherhood makes up 1 percent of the inmate population, but are responsible for 20 percent of murders inside of U.S. prisons, so identifying these tattoos are extremely beneficial.
What does a teardrop tattoo mean?
One of the most widely recognized prison tattoos, the teardrop’s meaning varies geographically. 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.
What is the tattoo on the knuckles?
His sociopathic preacher character had the words ‘love’ and ‘hate’ tattooed on the knuckles of each hand, which has brought about other variants such as ‘Rock/Roll’ and ‘Stay/Down.’.
What does it mean when someone gets a teardrop tattoo?
It can also mean that one of the inmate’s friends was murdered and that they are seeking revenge. The teardrop has been popularized recently 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.
What do the dots on the inside of a prisoner's hand represent?
Also known as the quincunx, the four dots on the outside represent four walls, with the fifth on the inside representing the prisoner. This tattoo can be found internationally, among both American and European inmates. The dots are typically found on an inmate’s hand, between the thumb and forefinger.
Where is the spider tattoo on the elbow?
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. If you see a multi-colored web, it’s probably not a prison tattoo; tattoo ‘artists’ in jail rarely have access to colored ink.
What does a cross on the chest mean?
Cross on the chest (Photo Adimaz) Particularly found in Russian prisons, chest tattoos symbolize a ‘Prince of Thieves. ’. This is the highest rank a Russian convict can achieve, and are generally worn by higher-ups in the mob.
What does the AB tattoo stand for?
If the AB tattoo bearer tells you the letters stand for “Alice Baker, ” you’ll want to stay clear: That's just a nickname for the Aryan Brotherhood. The white supremacist organization’s other nicknames include Alice, One-Two, Tip and Brand, and the Brand.
What does a teardrop tattoo mean?
Perhaps the most well-known tattoo associated with crime and prison, the teardrop can either be unfilled or opaque. There are many stories about why a prisoner would have this tattoo, but the most common is that an unfilled teardrop might symbolize the death of a loved one, while an opaque one might show that the death has been avenged. "Sometimes," the FBI notes, "only the wearer will know the exact meaning of the tattoo.” Teardrops might also represent mourning in general. For instance, Amy Winehouse’s were said to be for her jailed ex-husband.
What does a quincunx tattoo mean?
Of course, a quincunx tattoo isn't always a sign of a stay in prison ; Thomas Edison had one on his forearm.
What does ACAB stand for in tattoos?
The ACAB tattoo might be represented by four dots on the knuckles or the letters themselves on the knuckles or elsewhere. The acronym stands for All Coppers Are Bastards, or perhaps, depending on the situation, Always Carry a Bible.
What does the three dots mean?
Cultural anthropologist Margo DeMello says that the three dots might come from a French criminal tattoo, of which the trio of spots stood for mort aux vaches, or “death to the cows”—cows meaning the police. 9. FIVE DOTS. Five dots have a different meaning.
Is tattooing in jail illegal?
Jailhouse tattoos, also known as black-and-grays, are dangerous in more than one way: The process is illegal, so inmates end up creating their own equipment and ink, and studies have shown a connection between tattoos and high rates of hepatitis C among prisoners.