The concept of space goes well beyond just buildings and infrastructure; it can represent feelings of attachment and belonging, it can interact with us and generate meaning. The built environment is not just the “backdrop” of our lives, but rather it plays a major role in them. In the state of California prisons have become a prominent element of our communal landscape, now housing 2.4 million Americans today. This paper explores prisons as a rich site of analysis in terms of how our built environment affects our daily lives. In order to delve into this analysis, I will explore sport-based programming in the prison context and how these programs can create alternative spaces to foster social capital and improve the relationship between the individual and his or her surroundings. In order to bring these theories to life, I conducted a case study through the Prison Education Project at The California Rehabilitation Center to explore the efficacy of academic soccer-based programs within this context specifically.