This is locked behind the tutorial Find Somewhere to Live!, but even while you're still living in New Newgate, you can receive social actions from other players and send certain actions through Opportunity Cards.

Which also means if you plan to live in prison for the long term for RP or whatnot, don't take the starter jobs or you'll be stuck with them, and you'll get only ONE opportunity to pick a job, because you can't access Social Engagements in order to resign.