Rosenwald, Michael. (2 August, 2002, B1). “Erasing Troubled Pasts: Program Helps Youths Cut Gang Ties, Starting with Tattoo Removal” (The Boston

Globe).

Baker, Billy. (26 February, 2007, C2). “His Goal: Erasable Tattoos” (The Boston

Globe).

OVERVIEW

What does a skinhead do when he is ready to cut ties with his gang but he has the word “SKIN” tattooed on his forehead? Getting a tattoo removed is one thing, but finding a way to pay for it is another.

It was a situation like this that led Michelle Wynn, a youth counselor, and Dr. R. Rox Anderson, a leading specialist in laser tattoo removal, to join forces on behalf of Boston-area former gang members. It is a very specific goal geared toward teenagers who are at a very critical juncture in their lives. The procedure typically costs several thousand dollars. But for a gang member who leaves the gang yet keeps the ink, the cost could be much more severe. Their former associates, taking it as a point of honor, might attack them and attempt to remove the art using brutal methods. Gang symbols and signs may also make turning the corner into gainful employment a tough prospect.

According to Rosenwald, Wynn’s strategy was to invite interested former gang members to do the following in exchange for the 7-month removal process:

·        Write a letter pledging to abandon gang life

·        List steps already taken to improve themselves

·        Participate in community service during the period of treatment

Anderson, a professor of dermatology at HarvardMedicalSchool, provides the treatment in his office at Massachusetts GeneralHospital. But funding and other resources are needed to keep the project afloat and growing.

According to Baker, Anderson estimates he has removed more than 1,000 tattoos in his career for people in all walks of life who have changed their mind about their one-time symbolic expression. (He has also created a unique biodegradable ink polymer which can be easily removed, should the need arise). His concern is not ‘anti-tattoo’, per se, but a genuine desire to help people who have reached a point in their lives where a practical change can serve the purpose of a larger social change.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1.      Are you aware of teenagers with gang-related tattoos?

2.      Would the prospect of removing such a marking be hopeful for them?

3.      What are the other issues counselors and parents should consider in helping a teen transition out of gang-involvement?

IMPLICATIONS

Wynn and Anderson have found a very specific and practical way to help young people make a potentially life-saving change. Their work reminds us that apparently superficial things can be of grave importance. Perhaps there are more ways to establish similar opportunities for young people.