The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has launched an inmate Tattoo Removal Program at the Northern Branch Jail (NBJ). Dr. Bernard Weinstock performed the first round of tattoo removal treatments for an inmate at the jail on June 29.
The program has been made possible through a partnership with Drs. Weinstock and John Baeke who attended training on how to use the Tri-Beam laser tattoo removal machine.
The purpose of the Tattoo Removal Program is to assist the Sheriff’s Office in the rehabilitation of inmates by taking off tattoos or body art that may be deemed socially unacceptable and could hinder their ability to integrate back into the community.
The Sheriff’s Office mission through the program is to help eliminate barriers that could hamper the inmate’s successful return to society.
The NBJ Inmate Services Program plans to offer free tattoo removal procedures to inmates, with appointments on a weekly basis.
Criteria for participation in the program include participation in rehabilitation programs, no current discipline reports, and sentencing must be finalized with sufficient confinement time to complete the tattoo removal process.