Criminal tattoos as a private object of criminological research of a criminal identity

The article considers such a private object of criminological study of a criminal identity as criminal tattoos, the role of which in obtaining information about the subjects of criminal activity is difficult to overestimate, since stable, indelible body drawings, symbols and inscriptions allow to carry out identification and diagnostic expert research. Criminological knowledge, skills and abilities aimed at understanding the symbolism and meaning of tattoos, important for the investigation and solution of criminal cases, as well as for the crime prevention in general, since they allow not only to identify a particular individual, but also to find an approach in communicating with him, determine his past, status in the criminal world and scope of activity, which ultimately contributes to increasing the effectiveness of crime counteraction.