Tattoo removal as a method of gang life rehabilitation is increasingly common across many states. However, some organizations are taking a more interesting approach to others. That's the case with Homeboy Industries which doesn't just offer a tattoo removal clinic but also has a cafe and bakery where teens and young adults whose pasts are riddled with crime can get gainful employment and ease their way back into the mainstream world.
The youth who work at the Homegirl Cafe are often tattooed with the remnants of their gang activity. At least, they are when they start working at this community outreach center. But as time goes on, many of those individuals get laser tattoo removal as part of their forward motion into a new life. After all, Homegirl Cafe might overlook their gang tattoos but the Mom-and-Pop Cafe down the street might not be so permissive.
Put simply, it's easier to get a job when you're not marked with the ink of your former gang life. It's also easier to make a clean break from your gang activities when the people you used to hang out with see that you no longer represent their group with tattoos. That's how tattoo removal provides a very concrete way of getting on with life after being in gangs.
Learn more about Homeboy Industries here.
Question of the Day: How important is laser tattoo removal in comparison with other rehabilitative measures for former gang members?
