Tattoos and tattoo inks: Forensic considerations

Abstract

Tattoos and tattoo inks play a critical role in forensic investigations, and have done so for centuries. Tattoos are most useful as a means of identification for both the living and deceased. From their continued discovery on mummified remains dating from antiquity to their utilization in modern day investigations and prosecutions, tattoos demonstrate persistence and clues to cultural practices and identity. The tools and techniques of tattooing, as well as the phenomena of visualization of pigments according to the interaction of light radiation in human tissue is presented. An overview of the history of tattoos is provided, with a specific focus on tattoos in criminological, medicolegal and forensic investigations-from the characterization of criminals in the 19th century to the introduction of tattoo evidence in criminal trials of present day. Finally, an overview of the scientific study of tattoos and tattoo inks is presented, including the visualization of obscured tattoos, the chemical analysis of modern tattoo inks, and trends towards understanding the migration, retention, and photodecomposition of pigment particles. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the importance and utilization of tattoos and tattoo inks in a forensic context-specifically highlighting that tattoos can prove critical to providing investigatory leads in criminal investigations and tattoos and tattoo inks should have an increased use in forensic endeavors moving forward, both in casework and scholarly research.

Tattoo information creation: Towards a holistic understanding of tattoo information experience

“…The ability of tattoos to function as a document and a record is noticeable in research coming from a wide variety of fields. For example, tattoos can record medical information (Lai et al, 2018;Wolf & Laumann, 2008;Spaete et al, 2019), or be used in criminology for identification purposes (Miranda, 2019;Bălan, 2020;Han et al, 2019). There has been a limited amount of research within the field of library and information science regarding the informational nature of tattoos.…”

Tattoos and Information: Mapping the Landscape of Tattoo Research

“…In police science and criminology ethical and social issues of tattoo recognition technology (Bacchini & Lorusso, 2017), the symbolism and typologies of criminal tattoos (Jacques, 2016), use of tattoos for identification purposes (Bălan, 2020, Caplan, 1997; Fang et al, 2018; Miranda, 2019; Sun et al, 2016) …”

“…• the ability of tattoo to function as a person's signature (Ellis, 2008), tattoo in identifying an individual's lineage (Hanlon, 2003), the tattooed bodies read and written on by a variety of narrators (Olguin, 1997) In historical contexts • colonization (Bailkin, 2005;Balvay, 2008), identification in concentration camps (Friling & Waltzman, 2014), branding for slaves, and convicts (Samel, 2004;Schildkrout, 2004, Lobell & Powell, 2013 In police science and criminology • ethical and social issues of tattoo recognition technology (Bacchini & Lorusso, 2017), the symbolism and typologies of criminal tattoos (Jacques, 2016), use of tattoos for identification purposes (Bălan, 2020, Caplan, 1997Fang et al, 2018;Miranda, 2019;Sun et.al., 2016) In medical field, biological and veterinary sciences • to record blood-type and medical alert information (Bote 2018;Chadwick & Shah, 2013;Lai et al, 2018) • tattooing as a method of animal identification (Awad, 2016; Roughan & Sevenoaks, 2019) Theme 2: Tattoos, Identity, Narrative, and Memory…”