Do tattoos make the criminal? Is someone who has committed crimes more or less likely to get a tattoo? Of course, no extensive study has been done - and it's silly to suggest that tattoos can make someone into a criminal. But, perhaps, poor decisions in a person's life can help lead to their eventual criminal path. After all, if you're covered with tattoos and can't get a proper job, you may be more inclined to lie, cheat, steal, or commit crimes to make it through life. Perhaps this is why there seems to be a societal correlation between hard-core tattoos and criminal behavior.