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Kiosks

ntroduction

Kiosks are an alternative method of delivering court services to the public without using staff resources. The high-speed personal computer in an electronic kiosk provides information about court procedures and legal terminology, helping individuals better understand the judicial process. Users can pay parking tickets, schedule traffic school, or complete divorce papers. The technology can present information in the person’s native tongue, explain the legal consequences of various actions, and prepare documents for filing.

A kiosk can provide information faster and at a lower cost than can a court employee. Kiosks can be open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and positioned in libraries, shopping malls, and other convenient locations.

escription

The computer in a kiosk presents the user with a touch-screen video monitor for viewing information and entering selections. The multimedia video, music, voice, text, forms, and graphics files are very large, requiring a significant amount of data storage capacity. Some kiosks use from one to three laser disc players, while others employ standard CD-ROM drives or very large magnetic disks.

Many kiosks include a credit card reader, key pad, and PIN code scrambler for accepting payments. Some have laser printers for generating court forms; others include a dot-matrix receipt printer. Most have some type of communications capability with a host computer containing court case information, and a network that allows instant verification of credit card accounts, or both. All the components of the kiosk are enclosed in an attractive steel casing (fiberglass is used for kiosks that do not accept financial transactions), which provides security for system components and for checks and documents placed in its deposit box.

Anyone who has used a bank Automated Teller Machine (ATM) can operate an electronic kiosk--without encountering the boring, green-on-black menus commonly associated with ATMs. Today's multi-media technology adds a new dimension to the delivery of information blending full motion video, creative graphics, standard forms, traditional text, stereo music, and clear voice into a pleasing, informative package using a variety of printed and spoken languages.

Access to kiosk information is through the touch-screen monitor. An on-screen host guides the user through a dazzling array of choices, offering explanations and assistance along the way. After selecting a language and type of case, the user can follow any of dozens of paths through the system. A dictionary can be accessed at any time to clarify terminology. In addition to detailed explanations of court processes, the system offers step-by-step instructions for paying traffic fines, scheduling court appearances, entering pleas, completing forms for an uncontested divorce or forcible detainer, or calculating alimony or child support.

ackground

Multimedia kiosk technology is not new. It has been used by various organizations to sell baseball tickets, accept loan applications, apply for unemployment benefits, match the unemployed with job openings, train staff, and apply for welfare benefits.

Colorado pioneered the use of this technology in the court environment. A grant from the State Justice Institute in October 1987 financed a pilot project to use touch-screen computers for presenting public information and generating simple forms for child support and small claims cases. Although this first system did not employ full-motion video, its stylish combination of passive graphics and audio explanations in English and Spanish was a model for later kiosks. The system’s demonstration at the Second National Court Technology Conference in 1988 sparked enthusiasm for the development of full-scale kiosks in a number of locations throughout the country.

The Long Beach Municipal Court in California, working with North Communications, introduced Auto Clerk in early 1992. Two seven-foot kiosks outside the courthouse provide twenty-four-hour, seven-day access to court information, accept payments, and schedule traffic school. Similar court kiosks in Ventura, California, were placed in area shopping malls in 1993. Other California and Florida courts are in the process of implementing this kiosk technology.

The Arizona Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Courts implemented their version of the electronic kiosk, known as QuickCourt, in three locations. With development funding from the State Justice Institute, QuickCourt added forms generation capability to the kiosk. QuickCourt accepts input through a touch-screen monitor and prints uncontested divorce or forcible detainer forms on an internal laser printer, ready for signature and notarization. This system also computes child support payments.

While the utility of kiosks in the court environment is now evident, they can be even more cost-effective when combined with other government services. The long-term trend may be toward general government kiosks, combining important court functions with executive branch agency applications.

pportunities

Multimedia kiosks reduce the cost and time spent by personnel in dealing with the public. Because so many matters can be handled outside the court and outside normal business hours, those who must visit the courthouse are served more promptly. Scheduling and continuing court events, accepting pleas, and allowing submission of proof of insurance, proof of repair, and similar documentation reduces the burden on court calendars. Routine matters can be completed without the intervention of attorneys, saving the public additional time and money.

Kiosks provide higher quality service. Basic information, given quickly and consistently, is directed to the exact needs of the user in a manner that does not discern ethnicity, gender, or age. Because kiosk scripts have been thoroughly researched and tested, the information on the computer screen will be correct and can be reviewed as often as necessary.

A court staff that spends less time on routine, repetitive activities is more productive. When kiosk technology is employed, clerks have more time to deal with complex questions and problems inside the court. Some tasks, like collections, are enhanced by extended opportunities and methods of payment.

Electronic kiosk technology provides better public access to the court. Court services are available any time, day or night, at convenient locations and in the user’s native tongue. Most important, kiosks increase the public’s understanding of and satisfaction with the judicial system.

imitations

The design of the kiosk is not adequate for some applications. There is no seating or work area for transactions that may require considerable time and use information from numerous records. Typing a lot of information on a touch-screen for lengthy court forms is cumbersome; consideration should be given to other data entry devices. Lack of privacy also is a concern for those entering personal data. Lengthy transactions generating court forms should be conducted in sit-down kiosks in a library environment, while quick payment of traffic tickets is appropriate for shopping malls. Kiosks in court work areas should be placed to minimize the disruption the audio track can cause.

Reprogramming the kiosk is expensive, especially if the court relies on professional actors. New legislation may require program changes annually. Another consideration is use of foreign language translators who are familiar with local dialects, idioms, and usage.

Kiosk scripts must be written for the least-sophisticated user, which can be frustrating for those more familiar with the court system. Lack of human interaction can result in undetected mistakes on court forms. Experience in developing kiosk technology should minimize these problems in the future.

Kiosks are not yet proven to be more cost-effective than clerk assistance or brochures. As time goes on, however, the amount of clerk time saved by the kiosk should exceed the time and money spent in their development and operation.

osts

Development and deployment can cost from $150,000 to $1,000,000. A court might expect to pay $200,000 for a system similar to QuickCourt, running on three kiosks. Hardware and software ranges from $8,000 to $20,000 per kiosk; courts have generally paid around $18,000. Operational costs include equipment maintenance, software rental and licensing, system changes, and expansion. Court staff must devote time to routine maintenance and operational tasks. One vendor leases kiosks for roughly $60 to $80 per month, with a $1.50 to $3.00 charge per transaction paid by users. Kiosk technology can be most cost-effective when a single development effort is used for numerous kiosks or when the court participates in a project with other government agencies.

Assistance

The Technology Information Exchange Service (TIES), operated by the National Center for State Courts and funded by the State Justice Institute, provides a number of services to courts:

a Court Technology Bulletin highlights the latest developments in interactive multimedia technology used in kiosks;
a Court Technology Database offers information on courts across the country that have installed kiosks;
a vendor-neutral Court Technology Laboratory is available to test a kiosk and compare products;
the Technology Information Service shares resources collected from industry articles, journals, and other publications, and data on vendors who sell systems to courts and other government organizations.

To receive information on TIES or any of the other technology research, education, or consulting programs of the National Center for State Courts, call Court Technology Programs at (757) 259-1544.

This document was developed under a grant from the State Justice Institute. The points of view expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the State Justice Institute.

Technology Services

Briefing Papers