How to say, ’I’m a thug’ in a tattooed world?

Since tattoos have become so mainstream, criminals are finding it harder to signal their criminality with body ink. These days, even art on your neck, collarbone, and wrists isn’t really enough. Facial tatoos remain a pretty hard-core gesture, particularly on the eyelids. Also, according to this article, "the homespun variety created with a shard of a ballpoint pen during long hours behind bars" retains some menace. But if mere skin art doesn’t do the trick, there’s always the Japanese gangster gesture—amputate all or part of a pinky finger. Up to 70 percent of the so-called yakuza have sacrificed a digit.

Reason Online