County jail inmates do get some access to outdoor areas, but it is limited. Most county facilities have recreation areas open to the sky that inmates can use for exercise or fresh air during designated hours. It is not unrestricted time outside, and the windows can be brief depending on staffing and scheduling, but it is not complete confinement to a cell around the clock either.
On the PRC transfer question for a one-year sentence, the outcome is genuinely uncertain. Pre-Release Centers are typically reserved for inmates who have demonstrated steady, calm behavior and whose remaining time makes the transfer practical. On a one-year sentence, there is a real chance the facility simply holds him in county for the duration rather than going through the administrative process of a transfer, particularly if the facility is not overcrowded. If he is a consistently well-behaved inmate and the jail is dealing with space issues, the odds of a PRC transfer improve. But it is not something that can be counted on or demanded.
The best thing he can do is stay out of trouble, comply with every directive, and let his conduct speak for itself. If a transfer opportunity opens up, the inmates with clean records are the ones who get it.