Tattoos
Tattoos have long been associated with gang membership, and connote the toughness desired by gang members as well as the permanence of gang affiliation. The designs used are frequently symbolic and represent particular deeds, such as murder. Burn-marks may also be a way of recognition to a gang or a gang member.
The gang symbols used in tattoos and graffiti are fairly involved and refer to the mythology and meaning that each gang may invent. For example, the Star of David represents the Folk Nation once led by a man known as King David. The six point star is also sometimes used by Crips. In addition, each point of the star represents a "value" of the "nation." Sureno, commonly associated with La Eme, use the numbers 13 and 3 to refer to themselves, referencing the fact that "M" is the 13th letter of the English alphabet.
Read more about this topic: Gang Signal