The Defendant with the Prison Tattoo: The Effect of Tattoos on Mock Jurors’ Perceptions

Little is known about the potential for tattoos to bias how defendants are perceived. In Study 1, the participants (n = 30) viewed photographs of five men with a tattoo (prison or modern style) on the face and neck or arm. Individuals with prison-style tattoos were perceived more negatively, especially when the tattoos were located on the face and neck compared to the arm. In Study 2, participants (n = 120) were shown a photograph of a defendant who either had a prison-style tattoo or no tattoo, and read a scenario describing a physical assault (with either strong or weak evidence). Perceptions of defendant dangerousness mediated the relationship between the presence of a tattoo and mock jurors’ perceptions of guilt.