Rewriting Rules: Digital Practices in Prison Culture

This paper explores how digital transformation unfolds within the structurally rigid and highly institutionalized environment of Italian prison organizations. Drawing on a qualitative single-case study conducted at the Casa di Reclusione di Padova, we examine the bottom-up development and implementation of a digital registry system for managing disciplinary reports. Anchored in a sociomaterial perspective, the study highlights how even low- complexity technologies can generate cultural disruption, reshape organizational routines, and reconfigure authority structures. The findings show that digitalization in this context does not merely automate tasks but acts as a catalyst for new professional norms, accountability mechanisms, and forms of coordination. Through thematic analysis of interview data triangulated with internal documents, the research identifies three key dynamics: cultural adaptation through informal learning, infrastructural realignment enabling transparency and traceability, and a rearticulation of hierarchical roles mediated by technology. This study contributes to the literature on sociomateriality and public sector innovation, while also offering practical insights for designing context-sensitive digital tools in institutional settings typically resistant to change.