Tattoo Removal Clinic

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

Through a collaborative partnership between the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Medical Services Bureau (MSB), and Inmate Services Bureau (ISB), a Tattoo Removal Clinic was established to provide a medically supervised tattoo removal program for incarcerated inmates. In addition to removing tattoos at no charge, the program was initiated to assist inmates in their reintegration back into the community. Participants have primarily requested the removal of tattoos associated with gang affiliation, monikers, profanity, and nudity located on their face, neck or hands. The conceptual belief, and expressed statements of participants, has been to improve the inmates’ sense of self image and affectively increase their opportunity for employment upon release from custody.The Tattoo Removal Clinic, which began in February 2012, continues to experience an increase in demand. The program, which is overseen and operated by trained medical personnel, initially began with 25 volunteer inmates for tattoo removal treatments. At the present date, the current number of volunteer inmates currently receiving treatment is 306; and the number continues to increase.