- Title: EL SALVADOR: GOVERNMENT BEGINS PROGRAMME TO REMOVE TATTOOS FROM PRISONERS.
- Date: 5th July 2000
- Summary: SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. GV/PAN: GUARDED PRISONER LEAVING "LA ESPERANZA" (HOPE) PRISON 0.10 2. GV/PAN: VEHICLE WITH PRISONERS LEAVING PRISON 0.24 3. GV: DOCTORS BEGIN PLASTIC SURGERY TO REMOVE TATTOOS 0.30 4. CU: DOCTOR GIVING AN ANESTHESIA TO PRISONER IN AREA WHERE TATTOOS WILL BE REMOVED 0.37 5. CU: REMOVAL OF TATTOOS THROUGH SURGERY 0.45 6. MV/CU: VARIOUS OF SURGERY (6 SHOTS) 1.30 7. MV: PRISONER LEAVING THE SURGERY ROOM 1.38 8. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRISONER, JULIO ALBERTO NUILA CONSTANZA SAYING: "I am fortunate to be able to remove my tattoos. One day I put them on my body maybe so that other people would see me or would respect me. However, the tattoos did not help me at all but quite the opposite, they brought me to jail. It is something that damages the family as a whole." 2.02 9. MV/CU/PAN: A DOCTOR PERFORMING SURGERY ON ANOTHER PRISONER (2 SHOTS) 2.19 10. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF PRISON CENTRES, RODOLFO GARAY PINEDA SAYING: "The purpose of the programme is to eliminate the stigma that is attached with having tattoos. The whole point is for the prisoner not to be marked permanently and then have difficulty to reintegrate into society once he is freed." 2.33 11. CU/PAN: VARIOUS OF THE PATIENTS ARMS 2.41 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th July 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR
- Country: El Salvador
- Reuters ID: LVA3WDHC53AJK9NTF4K5A46OVCKO
- Story Text: El Salvador's government has begun a programme which
seeks to rid prisoners from their tattoos as a plan to
integrate them into society once they are freed.
The government of El Salvador has begun a programme
that seeks to reintegrate former prisoners into society by
removing their tattoos from their bodies.
"The purpose of the programme is to eliminate the stigma
that is attached with having tattoos. The whole point is for
the prisoner not to be marked permanently and then have
difficulty to reintegrate into society once he is freed,"
explained Rodolfo Garay Pineda, the director of prison
centres.
The programme, launched by the Ministry of Public Health,
and which began in late June, will have a duration of four
months.
The programme is expected to help about 600 prisoners from
different centres in the country who will be able to get rid
of their tattoos through plastic surgery and other medical
procedures free of charge.
Once freed, many former prisoners who have tattoos in
their bodies are discriminated against and cannot find jobs.
"I am fortunate to be able to remove my tattoos. One day I
put them on my body maybe so that other people would see me or
would respect me. However, the tattoos did not help me at all
but quite the opposite, they brought me to jail. It is
something that damages the family as a whole," said Julio
Alberto Nuila Constanza, a prisoner.
Government authorities have asked young people, especially
those who belong to gangs, to think twice before getting
tattoos since their removal is painful and costly.
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