Media Release: State Courts Introduce first-of-its-kind self-service payment kiosks for bail sums, courts fees and fines

1 Court users can now pay bail sums, court fees and fines using the State Courts’ new automated payment kiosks. This Automated Collection System (ACS) is the first of its kind that accepts multiple modes of payment with real-time integration with the State Courts’ existing finance management system. Court users can make payment via the ACS kiosks as soon as a case concludes.

2 The ACS was introduced to streamline the court collection processes and bring about a new way of interfacing with court users, as part of State Courts’ commitment to provide excellent court services to the public. It comes with a friendly touch-screen display and allows court users to make payments using a variety of payment modes, including cash, NETS, credit/debit cards and cheques. When making payment, court users can conveniently retrieve their records by scanning the QR codes on the payment advice or enter the relevant payment/case references. Users who require assistance can make a request via the kiosk’s in-built intercom.

3 The State Courts collect about $56 million of court fees and court fines, and about $14 million of bail monies every year. Before the ACS was introduced, cashiers were deployed at multiple points to collect court payments. With the introduction of the ACS, payment kiosks are located at key service points for court users’ convenience. The collection process is automated and this brings about efficiency. Staff can be re-deployed to focus on other service touch-points and to develop programmes that will further improve the State Courts’ delivery of services to court users. Page 2

4 In future, when the State Courts operate in the new multi-storeyed State Courts Towers, the ACS kiosks can be set up at major service points, thereby reducing the need for court users to move across several floors to make payments.

5 Other features of the ACS self-payment kiosk include:
-  Able to retrieve payment advice information on a real-time basis to facilitate payment
 - Accepts multiple modes of payment: cash (notes and coins), NETS, credit card, debit card, cheque and cashier’s order
-  A new 3-piece (comprising card reader, PIN keypad and contactless card reader) flushed-in device for credit card/NETS payment – the State Courts are the pilot site for this new device from NETS
-  Able to impress stamp on the relevant documents after payment
-  Touch-screen interface
-  QR code scanner
-  Built-in intercom system to assist users
-  Able to recycle the cash and coin collected to be dispensed as change when available -  Built-in safe
-  Security cameras

6 The State Courts’ experience has shown that the ACS can be customised according to users’ requirements. Agencies currently operating cashier counters could consider such technology to automate their processes.

Issued by: State Courts, Singapore
Date: 2 September 2016

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For further information or clarification, please contact:
(i) Mr Henedick Chng, Assistant Director, Communications Directorate Tel: 6435 5652 / 9722 6139 Email: henedick_chng@statecourts.gov.sg

(ii) Ms Michelle Chiang, Assistant Director, Communications Directorate Tel: 6435 5179 / 9722 6139 Email: michelle_chiang@statecourts.gov.sg