Armed and Dangerous

I am seeing young probation violators getting 3 to 4 month prison sentences , giving them their first look at prison and thus a "prison prior". Many of these kids are using this opportunity to get prison tattoos which many consider a badge of honor back on the streets.  Some do just their arms, many do backs and chest as well. Tattoos are much cheeper in prison and have a distinctive look due to the prison inks made from chess pieces, shoe polish, etc. Money sent in by family for TVs and other appliances is being spent on tattoos instead. $100 can get both arms done, another $100 on your back and so on. Prices may vary but someone is always willing to put ink on you. The risk factor is high. Money is sometimes more important than safety. Obviously we dont have clean supplies for every use. Bleach can be used as a weapon so many prisons use "bleach substitute" which is less effective for cleaning needles. Bleach and bleach substitute are locked up and carefully managed by staff. Although bleach can be smuggled, it isn't easy to get. In a pinch when someone needs the money, they may not be honest about the cleanliness of their tattoo gun.
I had a youngster tell me he had only 3 months so whatever he didn't get completed before release he'd finish when he comes back.