Not to add to their ink, but to remove it - in the hope of giving them a better chance at life when they are released.
Mr Owers owns Tattoo Removal Company in St Albans, which does what it says - removes tattoos from people who don’t want them anymore.
He is seeing an increasing number of gang members wanting to remove their tattoos, along with the “weird side effect” of prisoners wanting tattoos removed.
“The strange thing is because they are in prison and on a reasonably good diet, getting plenty of rest and not out in the sun too much, the tattoos come off quite easily. It’s ideal, quite a weird side effect really.
“We have got such a punitive society. it’s good to give back occasionally. Some of these poor people haven’t had a chance and I do what I can. Simple as that,” he said.
Mr Owers is part of a recent initiative to offer the service at a discounted rate at prisons, after public outcry that the services were being funded by the taxpayer.
In 2006, the Department of Corrections dumped the scheme, after it was revealed taxpayers forked out $4500 for a violent white supremacist to have his “Mongrel Mob Forever” tattoo lasered off.
After Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis made calls in 2018 to revive the programme, a new initiative was considered which sees local tattoo removal businesses volunteering their services for free, out of goodwill, in order to help improve the lives of prisoners.
This creates a discounted rate which prisoners are then required to fund themselves.
The programme has been offered at Christchurch Men’s Prison since May and at Rolleston Prison since December.
“Providers are different for each site and prisons do not dictate or set prices. The prices charged are, in general, less than half of that charged in the community.”
“There is currently no demand for a regular tattoo removal service at Christchurch Women’s Prison, but if a prisoner requested the service it would be considered on a case by case basis,” the spokeswoman said.
