Authorities considering to impose minimum age for those who want tattoo

Deputy Superintendent Tan Yong Hong, head of the Singapore Police Force's Secret Societies Branch, was leading Camp Ace IV, a two-day camp at Pulau Ubin organised by the Criminal Investigation Department for at-risk boys aged between 13 and 18. It is part of the police's efforts to reach out to youths and steer them away from crime and gang-related activities.

DSP Tan yesterday said that his team was "very concerned" about the tattoos on some of the teenaged boys arrested for gang-related activities.

Said DSP Tan: "They tattoo themselves to show off to others that they are tough and 'protected'. Imposing a minimum age will help prevent the at-risk teens from associating and identifying themselves with hard-core criminals."

Tattoo artist Sumithra Debi, who imposes a minimum age of 18 at her shop Exotic Tattoos and Piercings had this to say: "There have been boys as young as 12 coming in and wanting tattoos. I think they are doing it to seek attention and do not fully realise the consequences of putting something so permanent on their bodies at such a young age."

In the United Kingdom, the legal minimum age to get tattooed is 18, while several states in the US such as California and New York have imposed similar laws.

A reformed gangster who wanted to be known only as MC spoke of his regret in joining gangs, MC, 36, took off his sports jacket, revealing the tattoos he had from neck to wrist.

He said: "You think by putting tattoos on your body people will be afraid of you? They may smile to avoid trouble but they think you're a fool, because being a gangster means you end up either in jail or the cemetery."

MC, who was released in 2009, was jailed for rioting. His wife left him and his family did not want him there when his parents and elder sister passed away while he was in jail. 

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