Background: The meaning and significance of tattoos varies from person to person across different cultures. Tattoos have been associated with both positive and negative attributes. The importance of studying tattooed individuals and its relation to the crime is particularly more important among prisoners. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of tattoo, their number, types and location on body among convicted prison inmates from Khandwa district jail. The secondary objective was to assess association between tattoo and crime. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in district prison/Jail, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, over a period of six months from April 2022 to September 2022. Total 106 convicted prison inmates were studied for presence for tattoo and crime committed. Results: Male predominance (89.6%) was observed. Mostly were from rural background (77.3%) and lower socio-economic class (78.3%). Majority of the prison inmates belonged to 31-40 year age group (36.8%) and 18-30 years age group (29.2%). Majority (83.9%) had tattoos and among these, mostly were male 92%. Most of them had (41.6%) had one to two tattoos. The most common body sites for tattoo were forearm (91%) and wrist and hand including fingers and thumb (85.4%). most common tattoo content was religious symbols/Gods (91%). Overall, 70.7% were incarcerated for criminal offences whereas among tattooed participants, 75.2% were incarcerated for criminal offences. Among non-tattooed participants, nearly half participants were incarcerated for civil offences and difference was statistically significant (P = 0.04).

Background: The meaning and significance of tattoos varies from person to person across different cultures. Tattoos have been associated with both positive and negative attributes. The importance of studying tattooed individuals and its relation to the crime is particularly more important among prisoners. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of tattoo, their number, types and location on body among convicted prison inmates from Khandwa district jail. The secondary objective was to assess association between tattoo and crime. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in district prison/Jail, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, over a period of six months from April 2022 to September 2022. Total 106 convicted prison inmates were studied for presence for tattoo and crime committed. Results: Male predominance (89.6%) was observed. Mostly were from rural background (77.3%) and lower socio-economic class (78.3%). Majority of the prison inmates belonged to 31-40 year age group (36.8%) and 18-30 years age group (29.2%). Majority (83.9%) had tattoos and among these, mostly were male 92%. Most of them had (41.6%) had one to two tattoos. The most common body sites for tattoo were forearm (91%) and wrist and hand including fingers and thumb (85.4%). most common tattoo content was religious symbols/Gods (91%). Overall, 70.7% were incarcerated for criminal offences whereas among tattooed participants, 75.2% were incarcerated for criminal offences. Among non-tattooed participants, nearly half participants were incarcerated for civil offences and difference was statistically significant (P = 0.04).