
Prison journalism: From Boarding House to the Exercise Yard: Navigating Prison LifeJonno Knowles was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison and participated in restorative justice while inside the prison.
by Jonno Knowles
18-09-2023 08:53
in Prison Journalism
Prison. Image: Unsplash
In this narrative, I recount my first encounter with the prison exercise yard, an encounter that left me bewildered and forever changed. But before delving into the specifics of that day, it's essential to understand my background as a product of Boarding House Establishment and the stark differences between my previous encounters with intimidation and the entirely new world I was about to enter.
--
The Hour of Mingling Life within the confines of a prison yard is a unique experience, governed by strict regulations and marked by a delicate balance between order and chaos. For many, the privilege of mingling with the general inmate population is a fleeting respite, limited by law to just one hour. This brief reprieve, mandated as the minimum requirement for exercise, is a crucial part of daily life behind bars.
ALSO READ: Prison Journalism: From Despair to Redemption: My journey through prison and parole
My First Day in the Exercise Yard My first time in the exercise yard' was more bewildering than anything I had ever experienced in my entire life. It's important to note that I was a resident of Boarding House Establishment from the age of 6 until the age of 12. Being involved in intimidating situations was not new to me. However, this was an entirely different experience. The walls were exceptionally high, towering like beanstalks. The yard was teeming with inmates, resembling a market, fiesta, or festival, with boisterous noise all around. As the fellow inmates gathered in the yard, groups began to form. These groups were not for socializing; it appeared that there was some semblance of order, with the most unusual suspects grouped together, not spaced very far apart from each other.
--
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: How a pen helped me escape prison
Surviving Yard Time: Challenges and Lessons At times, one could not find a space to unwind. It could be the last hour of the day, or it could be a spiral day.' Yard time or exercise typically ran from nine to around twelve-thirty, which could be excessively long to spend on the concrete and often led to frustration for many inmates. Nevertheless, yard time is crucial, as it's the time when groups are brought together. Our prisons do not tolerate vendettas, as the tension within the circle can become volatile and spiral out of control, potentially leading to violence. Nobody is safe when things get out of hand. At such times, there's nowhere to hide.
The yard is usually about thirty feet by twenty feet in size, and each corner can be seen from any vantage point. The only way to hide any movement or activity without arousing suspicion is challenging. The inmate population per unit typically hovers around 312, but this can vary depending on the facility.
--
The first piece of advice I received during my initial yard hour was: Keep your back to the walls, walk in pairs, and refrain from making gestures with your hands or faces.
Should you wish to assist in the rehabilitation of former inmates and help put money into the pockets of those who have struggled to earn a living during and after incarceration, click HERE
DISCLAIMER: Submission published as received
RESTORE is an NGO based in Cape Town, South Africa, providing inmates at Pollsmoor Prison with restorative justice opportunities.
If you have any questions you would like to ask our prison journalists, WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211.
Do you have contact with a prison inmate who would like to write for The South African website? If so, send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
You can also follow @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook to get the latest prison journalism articles.
Are you a KAIZER CHIEFS fan? Click here
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
24/03/2026
Utah Scientific to Showcase a Variety of Hybrid SDI/IP Innovations at the 2026 N...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Sh...
24/03/2026
C gep de Jonqui re, a public college in Qu bec, has upgraded its TV studio complex with five Calrec Brio consoles and a Dante IP network. The installation was c...
24/03/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has announced new and r...
24/03/2026
National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) used Ateme's KYRION platform fo...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has expanded its relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of FDJ United, with the deployment of LDX C98 compact cameras across its nati...
24/03/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company is launching Scripps Sports Network (SSN), a free, ad-s...
24/03/2026
NEP Group has launched NEP Platform, a new software orchestration system that un...
24/03/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Arizona Diamondbacks to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display and three ribbon boards at Chase Field in Phoe...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has completed an upgrade of University of Pittsburgh Athletics'...
24/03/2026
Daktronics is upgrading eight LED displays at Wrigley Field in Chicago, totaling more than 8,300 square feet, using the Daktronics Renew product line. The upgra...
24/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group has appointed Kevin Poole as Senior Project and Support Manager within the ASG Workflow and Tools practice. The position is newly created...
24/03/2026
In an increasingly streaming-centric world, protecting high-value live sports co...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy will showcase an updated version of its LogPlayer interface at NAB Show, April 19-22 in Las Vegas, booth W1423. The update includes AI tools, native ...
24/03/2026
The production studio has worked with content juggernauts such as MrBeast, The R...
24/03/2026
The event will also feature a State of the Industry address from sports-media veteran and strategic advisor Patrick Crakes....
24/03/2026
Victory , a free sports streaming service owned by A Parent Media Co. (APMC), has launched its NWSL Sunday Night Soccer franchise. The platform says the launch ...
24/03/2026
Sports content in free streaming is still relatively scant, but it's growing, right along with its monetization capabilities
Streaming-tech company Wurl re...
24/03/2026
Directed by Greg DeHart, the doc will feature Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers...
24/03/2026
For the first time ever, Tubi - Fox's free streaming service - is working w...
24/03/2026
As the music industry gathers for Canada's Juno Awards, the local edition of...
24/03/2026
Behind every great song is a complex web of people, stories, and inspirations th...
24/03/2026
Few filmmakers have shaped popular cinema as profoundly as Steven Spielberg. So ...
24/03/2026
Latest Eurorack modules revealed
ALM/Busy Circuits have just introduced another two Eurorack modules, delivering a powerful new modulator that builds on the...
24/03/2026
Smallest, most affordable MPC to date
Akai Pro have just introduced their most accessible standalone sampler to date, making the iconic MPC experience avail...
24/03/2026
Create & manage presets on Windows & macOS
Electro-Harmonix have announced that their free Mac/Windows application now allows users of their Oceans Abyss re...
24/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz amplifiers enable high-field immunity testing expansion at IB Le...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
24/03/2026
L3Harris ramps up production of its VAMPIRE C-UxS system....
24/03/2026
For more than 70 years, L3Harris has delivered essential fuzes and safe-and-arm solutions that bring the might to multi-domain battlefields across the globe, ...
24/03/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
24/03/2026
Rick Bernier reflects on a career that has taken him to the very top of live broadcast audio. As a Senior Broadcast Audio A1 Engineer and Music Director, he has...
24/03/2026
Grass Valley has strengthened its long-standing relationship with ImSoPROD, the TV production entity of the FDJ United, with the deployment of Grass Valley LDX ...
24/03/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Utah Scientific will spotlight its expanding portfolio of hybrid SDI/IP routing, conversion, control, and signal management s...
24/03/2026
Fresh off its global reveal at ISE 2026 in Barcelona, the new V410 live 4K encoder/decoder from Miri Technologies Inc. will make its North American debut at the...
24/03/2026
Cinegy GmbH, premier provider of software-defined television technology, will show how its solutions answer the real challenges facing content creators and broa...
24/03/2026
Canberra-based radio and online broadcast network ArtSound FM (https://artsound.fm/) has invested in DHD audio mixing consoles for two new studios at its headqu...
24/03/2026
IBC today announced the nine projects selected for its 2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, bringing together organisations from across broadcast, strea...
24/03/2026
Mediaproxy, the global standard for software-based IP compliance monitoring and multiviewing solutions, will showcase the next generation of its industry-leadin...
24/03/2026
Underscoring its global reputation as one of Canada's most renowned colleges for television production, the C gep de Jonqui re public college in Qu bec has ...
24/03/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced the launch of the industry's first edge watermarking solution that enables faster disruption of pi...
24/03/2026
Experience Commerce, a leading full-service digital marketing agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has secured the annual social media mandate for Fiat Payme...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...