Prison Journalism: The New Year's impact on inmates' perspectives

Prison Journalism: The New Year's impact on inmates' perspectivesDean Mashimbwe, a Zimbabwean migrant residing in Cape Town, was incarcerated at Pollsmoor Correctional Centre from 2016 until 2017.

by Dean Mashimbwe

10-01-2024 08:31

in Prison Journalism

Prison

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New Year's Day feels like a fresh start. I see it as a chance to turn the page and start a journey to different and exciting new paths. But when I was in prison, it was not like that for me. During my 2 years of incarceration, I never even made a resolution. I always thought that was something reserved for those on the outside, who had more control over their lives.

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Hope and Changes Everyone wants a fresh start. That's why we come up with New Year's resolutions-commitments to leave behind our old ways and begin a new chapter. That's no less true for people in prison.

In Prison when the year starts and when the holidays are over everything comes back to normal, and it will always be busy. The best feeling ever is knowing that in no time you will be out of Prison. I remember the early stages of the year 2017; I had received news from the parole board that I was going to be released on 31 March, even before Easter holidays. It was so overwhelming. It was a brand new year, and I had come with the new year resolutions as someone who had been in restorative justice. I had planned to leave my old ways as soon as I got parole and be a brand new me in a brand new year.

ALSO READ: Prison journalism: The impact of Restorative Programs in reducing reoffending and enhancing rehabilitation

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Spiritual Reflections and Personal Transformations I remember a Pastor who came to preach at our section in Pollsmoor; he once said, Use this new year to ask yourself: Are you the best version of yourself you can be? If you want to change this year, there's only one resolution that matters: resolving to fix your eyes on Jesus. Because no matter what you're hoping to change, you're going to need His power to see it through.

Another thing is, as the year starts, you are subtracting a year from your sentence. Only that brings you hope and confidence that at least you're coming from somewhere and you're going somewhere, although you don't have freedom. But there is hope that time is moving, and one day you will be out there reuniting with your loved ones. As you welcome the new year, you also welcome a new age; you're going to celebrate your birthday even if you are behind bars. That happiness of celebrating your new age is always there; the difference is you can't enjoy it as much as you will do with your family as a free man. During the time I was in prison, as the year started, I spoke to many fellow inmates as they would tell me about their plans for the year. Another inmate had plans to abandon gangsterism and try to rebuild his broken family as soon as he goes out of prison. This shows that I wasn't the only one who was deeply concerned about the new year.

ALSO READ: Prison journalism: Challenges in South African Prisons

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ALSO READ: Prison journalism: The Homecoming

DISCLAIMER: Submission published as received

RESTORE is an NGO based in Cape Town, South Africa, providing inmates at Pollsmoor Prison with restorative justice opportunities.

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