Tattoo identification

DEFINITION: Process in which permanent body art and markings are used as information to help determine identity.

SIGNIFICANCE: Law-enforcement professionals can use tattoos to identify unknown persons in a number of ways. Tattoos on the bodies of unknown deceased persons can help forensic scientists identify those persons, and information from witnesses about the tattoos seen on criminal perpetrators can help identify suspects. The tattoos worn by particular persons can also help to provide information about group membership, which can be used to trace identity.

Tattooing is a process in which ink or a substance containing dye is introduced into the dermis, a deep layer of the skin that does not regularly renew itself in the way the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, does. The ink or dye is usually deposited in the dermis through the use of an electric machine that produces very rapid movement of a needle (up to three thousand times per minute), although tattooing can also be accomplished by an individual using less professional methods. The dye is not soluble, and as the epidermis is shed, the tattoo remains visible. However, tattoos do often fade perceptibly over time.

Human beings have used tattoos for thousands of years for a variety of religious, cultural, and individual reasons. Governments have also used tattoos at various times throughout history to identify convicts, prisoners of war, and other groups, such as Nazi Germany’s tattooing of prisoner numbers on those held in concentration camps during World War II. In the United States, the number of persons getting tattoos to make personal statements of identity or group membership is believed to be on the increase. Tattoos have become more widely accepted among Americans in the twenty-first century. In 2012, about 21 percent of American adults reported having one or more tattoos. According to the Pew Research Center, 32 percent of American adults had a tattoo in 2023, with 22 percent having more than one. The survey found that 38 percent of women have at least one tattoo, while 27 percent of men sported a tattoo. Tattoos were also popular among Black Americans, with 39 percent reporting to have at least one.

Identification of Suspects

The knowledge that a criminal suspect has a tattoo may be extremely valuable to an investigator in identifying that individual. Many tattoos are placed on areas of the body that are easily visible to others, such as the arms, hands, face, throat, or neck. Additionally, tattoos are often brightly colored, and many feature easily recognizable and memorable items, objects, or words.

After a crime has been committed, it can often be difficult for witnesses to provide investigators with a clear description of the perpetrator, given that people who commit crimes often attempt to disguise some or all of their features, using gloves, hats, masks, and other devices. A tattoo that is not completely covered or is momentarily exposed can provide an important clue to a criminal perpetrator’s identity. Witnesses often have blurry or differing memories of events, but they may be able to recall seeing a tattoo of an easily recognizable object, such as a well-known cartoon character, even when they cannot provide police with information on the perpetrator’s eye color, height, or distinguishing facial features.

In addition to being useful for positive identification if a suspect is found, tattoos can give investigators possible leads. Many groups, such as street gangs, biker groups, and military divisions, have their own individualized tattoos that members get to identify themselves as part of their groups. If the perpetrator of a crime has a recognized group tattoo, this can give investigators a good lead on where to seek additional information.

Because tattoos are generally permanent, they can also be used to identify persons who may have changed or aged significantly since the most recent description or photograph available to investigators. Tattoos are also much more difficult to conceal than hair color, eye color, or other features commonly used to describe individuals. Some tattoos are even used to cover up marks—such as scars, birthmarks, or even other tattoos—that might be used as identification.

Although it is not common, tattoos can be removed by a complex and expensive laser procedure that often requires repeated visits to a doctor or specialist. Because this procedure is available, law-enforcement authorities cannot always rule out an identification because the individual does not have a specific tattoo.

Identification of Human Remains

Tattoos are often extremely valuable in the identification of human remains. When an individual is reported missing, any information about tattoos or other body modifications (such as piercings) that person has can be useful in helping investigators determine the identity of any human remains that are discovered. Even when a specific identification of unknown remains is not possible, tattoos on the body can help by providing starting points for investigation. For example, tattoos may indicate group membership or may indicate that the deceased was a regular customer at a local tattoo shop. Tattoos are usually visible until the body is significantly decomposed.

During investigations of major catastrophes involving large numbers of victims, such as the tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004 or the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, identification of victims is often strongly aided by the examination of tattoos. Also, forensic anthropologists often find tattoos helpful in the identification of bodies recovered from mass graves. When the mass graves are of recent origin, examination of tattoos may enable the identification of individual victims. When the mass graves are ancient, examination of tattooing may help to identify the groups or tribes to which the individuals in the graves belonged.

Bibliography

Braverman, Samantha. "One in Five US Adults Now Has a Tattoo." Harris Interactive. Harris Interactive, 23 Feb. 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.

Cox, Margaret, et al, eds. The Scientific Investigation of Mass Graves: Towards Protocols and Standard Operating Procedures. New York: Cambridge UP, 2008. Print.

Fenske, Mindy. Tattoos in American Visual Culture. New York: Palgrave, 2007. Print.

McCartney, Carole. Forensic Identification and Criminal Justice: Forensic Science, Justice and Risk. Portland: Willan, 2006. Print.

Rush, John A. Spiritual Tattoo: A Cultural History of Tattooing, Piercing, Scarification, Branding, and Implants. Berkeley: Frog, 2005. Print.

Schaeffer, Katherine, and Shradha Dinesh. "32% of Americans Have a Tattoo, Including 22% Who Have More Than One." Pew Research Center, 15 Aug. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/15/32-of-americans-have-a-tattoo-including-22-who-have-more-than-one/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

Thompson, Tim, and Sue Black, eds. Forensic Human Identification: An Introduction. Boca Raton: CRC, 2007. Print.