At first sight, it appears that nowadays, wearing tattoos has become something fashionable. But we should not forget that for example, prisoners had tattoos to remain connected with the outside world, meaning that they'll write things like " For mum" or "To dad" for instance. And this kind of "ritual" has been preserved nowadays, mostly by men who call themselves "bad boys". They want to prove that they're tough guys and that you should not mess with them. Some tattoos can even become scary. But according to many studies made in England, most tattooed people are suffering from personality disorder. In fact, they showed that women who don't qualify themselves as pretty, had the need of being tattoed. It could be a way to change their physical appearance, like to modify their body so as to fit better into it. Instead of modifying the entire body using plastic surgery for instance, being tattoed is an embellishment which aims to increase women's self-esteem. 
Thus, we should not forget that a tattoo can be considered as a work of art, like for example Tim Steiner's tattoo, situated on his back, displayed in many museums. His tattoo was sold for 150 000 euros. All in all, it would seem that a tattoo has a real meaning but it is, overall, an ornament for the body. Why do young people join gangs?
Many times, children feel forced to become a gang member, because they live in fear on a daily basis and they may feel powerless against that fear. However, being part of a gang can give an impression of safety. Indeed, they learn how to use a gun, which gives them a feeling of power over everybody else. Furthermore, it is true that gang activities appear exciting to children and especially teenagers. Taking risks, feeling the rush of adrenaline, that's what they are looking for. It's a radically different lifestyle that can make them feel special and superior to other "normal" children. Moreover, it appears that many of the children incorporating gangs come from single parent families or broken homes , and the gang may act as a surrogate family because of the unbreakable link between all the gang members. On top of that, it is quite clear that a gang is a very easy and quick way to obtain money (thanks to drug trafficking for example) and this could be overwhelming for children. They may be offered more money for delivering a package or being a lookout, than their parents can earn in a week. In my opinion, it is undeniable that these children and teenagers don't realize that they will spend their entire life running from justice. For the time being, they're still young and they enjoy this feeling of being a kind of "thug", but when they'll become adults, the eagerness of building a family will be stronger than the gang's attraction and only at that moment, they'll regret the choice they made a few years ago.
Gakirah Barnes, 17 years old. She was accused to have killed at least twice avenging murdered friends, the first time when she was just 14.
What link can you see between both topics and the notion of power?
According to my personal opinion, both a gang and a tattoo can have a power over somebody. Like I said previously, a tattoo gave a meaning to the prisoner's life because it was a way to stay related to the outside world and to keep hope. It also helps people to increase their self-esteem. Yet, it seems to me that joining a gang does the same thing. Actually, joining a gang may be a way to give a meaning to somebody's life, having a sense of purpose in life.
Secondly, it seems relevant to say that in some tribes like the Maori, the more tattoos you get, the higher social status you have. The leader of the tribe was the most tattoed. We can deduce that a tattoo is a mark of power. In fact, gang and prison tattoos have more in common with traditional tribal tattoos than they do with modern decorative body art. Each gang has their own symbol, generally tattoed on each gang member, so that the other gangs can recognize them. They also indicate your status in the gang, because the "black teardrop" tattoo for example, stands for a person killed or a stint in prison. Through this teardrop tattooed just below the eye, the gangster wants to scared the member of rival gangs and shows his power. Every gang member has a street name, tattooed on their body as well, because their nickname is more used than their real name. But this brings out the question, is power indelible just like a tattoo?
OK Héloïse.
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