Tattoos and Other Body Modification Practices among Child Sex Offenders in Greece

Body modification encompasses procedures to achieve permanent or temporary alterations of the human body. Tattooing and body piercing have become the most prevalent forms of body modification. It is reported that getting tattoos while in detention is reported to be a common practice. Only a few studies have examined the prevalence of body modification practices in prisoners. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of body modifications (tattoos and body piercing) and self-injuries among child sex offenders in a Greek prison, as well as to identify factors associated with having a tattoo or acquiring one while in prison. One secondary aim was to examine this population's main motives for body modifications and shed new light on their functions. The authors present the results of their original quantitative study (with a sample of 181 imprisoned child sex offenders) and discuss them in comparison to those of other studies.