Corrections budgets $100k for prisoner tattoo removal

Mark Cropp, who's Devast8 face tattoo prevented him from getting a job, had one session to remove the tattoo at Sacred Laser, which offered to do the job free. Photo / NZ Herald

In a budgeting move not seen for nearly two decades, Corrections has set aside $100,000 for prisoners to have their tattoos removed.

Tattoo removal for prisoners has been a political hot-potato with successive Governments instating, then scrapping various initiatives to help inmates shed their often gang-affiliated ink.

After it was revealed taxpayers spent almost $250,000 between 2001 and 2004 on tattoo removals, including $4500 for Mobster John Gillies to have a “Mongrel Mob Forever” and bulldog tattoo removed from his face, the scheme was lasered-off the Government’s ledgers in 2006.

In 2019 Minister for Corrections Kelvin Davis said Labour wouldn’t be reviving the scheme and instead would allow charitable technicians to enter prisons and provide heavily-discounted services to inmates who would foot the bill themselves.

NZME last year revealed that the same year Davis made those statements, Corrections had instated a funding pool of $25,000 for young inmates in the Lower North Island to apply to have highly visible tattoos on their faces, hands and necks removed to improve their access to employment.

However, shortly after the fund was established the country went into lockdown and non-essential personnel - including laser technicians - were not allowed behind bars to provide their services for nearly two years.

As a result, a lsittle more than $7000 of the total $25,000 has been accessed to date. Despite that, the Government’s largest agency confirmed to NZME this week that a further $100,000 has been apportioned this year for any prisoner to apply to have their unwanted ink removed.

One of those doing the lasering is Helena Carter, who works out of several Auckland prisons removing unwanted tattoos.

“Without tattoo removal a lot of these guys don’t stand a chance,” she said.

“So many just want them off so they can get on with their lives.”

John Gillies had his Mongrel Mob tattoo lasered off at a cost of $4500 to the taxpayer. Photo / Brent Phibbs.

Carter said having a tattoo removed was an arduous, lengthy and painful process but one that was extremely rewarding for those who chose to go under the laser.

However, even after getting their ink removed, Cater said a lot of them chose to remain with their gang “because they have no Plan B”.

Carter said she saw a lot of younger men with facial tattoos.

“’Give me your face and I’ll have them for life’ is the attitude some of these gangs have.

“Some of them, like the Killer Beez, specifically target kids,” she said.

“A lot of these guys are at the bottom of the pecking order and have to save up to get it done.

“I tell them ]the tattoos] are part of a conspiracy to keep them under the thumbs of the gang. It’s insidious.”

One of New Zealand’s most-famous stories of tattoo-related unemployment came from Mark Cropp, who gained infamy after after his story of employment woes due to a tattoo that occupied the lower half of his face appeared in the media.

Cropp’s brother tattooed the piece on his face after a heavy night of drinking while the pair were both in jail.

His story highlighted the difficulties people with highly-visible ink have in gaining employment, even if their ink isn’t specifically gang-affiliated.

Mark Cropp first became well known when he sought media attention because he could get a job due to his extensive facial tattoo. Photo / NZ Herald

Corrections’ National Commissioner Leigh Marsh told NZME that tattoos could create a significant barrier to employment and were a factor in preventing former inmates from successfully reintegrating back into their communities.

“As an action in our Hōkai Rangi strategy, our tattoo removal programme provides access to funding to assist people to have tattoos on their face or hands removed. This concept is particularly for tattoos that are gang-related, but includes tattoos of all kinds,” he said.

Marsh said that anyone managed by Corrections could apply to the fund but it had to be their choice.

“Preference will be given to facial or hand tattoos, but other areas, especially highly visible locations, can be considered on a case-by-case basis,” he said.

Corrections National Commissioner Leigh Marsh. Photo / Supplied

However, not everyone who applies for the fund will be accepted.

“People may be declined for a variety of reasons, including tattoos not being gang tattoos, or they are wanting it removed for the wrong reasons, or it is not in a visible place and there is no link to their pathway of rehabilitation or reintegration,” Marsh said.

“Recently a person had the name “Sarah” tattooed on his neck and he wanted it removed because he had changed his girlfriend. He was declined.

“We are also having to be very aware of gangs taking or trying to take over other gangs, and they are demanding people get their current gang tattoo removed so they can get the new gang tattoo put in its place.”

Marsh said Corrections was being careful to make sure the money was only going to people who genuinely wanted their tattoo removed to enable a “better life and greater reintegration and employment prospects.”

Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022.