For the purposes of this paper, a theoretical fusion of sociology of imprisonment, cultural criminology, and carceral geography is utilised in order to capture the situated and complex nature of the prison as an institution. The focal point of this study is the investigation of the clash between the Soviet legacy and the neoliberal order within three distinct realms through which punishment is delivered: spatial, procedural and relational. Each of the realms can be conceptualised as a pertinent aspect of imprisonment that determines life inside a confinement facility.
However, this paper not only delineates and exposes these clashes within the prison environment, but also places them within the broader socio-political and ideological context. The findings show that women’s imprisonment in Latvia is characterised by an inconsistent mix of both the Soviet legacy and the implementation of the neoliberal agenda.
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