Singapore Prison Service Opens New Video Court Facility for Inmates

Singapore Prison Service Opens New Video Court Facility for Inmates

Singapore, 29 April 2026 – The Singapore Prison Service (SPS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) HQ, HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency), and the Judiciary, operationalised a new video court facility for inmates on 16 March 2026.

2.                   The opening ceremony held on 29 April 2026 was graced by the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport, and showcased the improved facilities and capabilities.

Video Court Hearing for Inmates

3.                   Over the past few years, SPS has progressively expanded the use of video court hearings, with inmates attending court hearings from retrofitted facilities within the prisons instead of being transported and attending them in person in court. From 2020 to 2025, approximately 104,000 video court hearings were facilitated in prisons. Currently, 80 to 90 video court hearings are conducted daily, accounting for more than 90% of all court hearings involving inmates. This arrangement has reduced the need to transport the inmates physically to court, and the attendant security risks, thereby enhancing SPS’s overall operational efficiency.

A Joint Effort to Expand SPS’s Video Court Facility

4.                   Given the benefits of video court hearings, SPS identified opportunities to increase the number of video court hearings it can facilitate and expand the scope of proceedings that can be conducted remotely. Together with the Judiciary’s request for additional video court rooms within SPS, this drove the development of a new facility and supporting legislative revisions, to enable more and a wider range of proceedings to be conducted remotely.

5.                   This new video court facility was developed through close collaboration between SPS, MHA HQ, HTX, and the Judiciary and is designed to support a broader range of remote hearings. Previously, video court hearings were only used for selected proceedings – such as application for bail, release on personal bond, and extension of remand. For this new facility, legislation was amended to extend video court hearings to include pleas of guilt and sentencing for accused persons on remand.

6.                  Mr Murali Pillai SC, Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport, said “At the Ministry of Law, our public mission is to advance access to justice and the rule of law. This includes ensuring that our legal framework and institutions remain fit for purpose in a fast-changing world. Today is a tangible step in how Singapore ensures that our criminal justice system benefits from modern technologies while upholding the enduring principles of rule of law and public trust. The SPS Video Courts align with Singapore’s broader digital transformation of the courts and legal sector, which collectively contribute to a more integrated, modern justice system.

Features of the New Video Court Facility

7.                   The new purpose-built facility increases the number of video conferencing-enabled rooms and cubicles from 17 to 81 and supports too, a broader range of video court hearings. Dedicated spaces are available for different types of proceedings, including mentions, pre-trial conferences, pleas of guilt, sentencing, trials, pre-reading sessions, and quick consultations.

8.                   The new facility has a range of features to improve the conduct of video court hearings:

a.       Digital queue management system to improve coordination of inmate movements within the facility;

b.       Acoustical barriers and soundproof cubicles to enhance privacy and minimise disruptions during court proceedings;

c.       Rooms designed for inmates with mobility constraints, ensuring accessibility for inmates with physical limitations;

d.       Enhanced visual security measures, enabling SPS staff to maintain oversight across all the rooms in the new facility; and

e.       Internet-based video conferencing, including Zoom, alongside existing secure point-to-point video systems, which improves ease of implementation, and supports greater scalability for future operational needs.

Benefits of the New Video Court Facility

9.               For the Judiciary, this new facility improves the reliability and timeliness of court attendance, as well as greater flexibility in scheduling and managing hearings. With fewer physical transports required, there are fewer cases of delays caused by traffic. Inmates who are unable to attend court in person due to health reasons can do so remotely, ensuring that their court hearings are not delayed.

10.               For SPS, the new video court facility reduces the need for physical movement of inmates and therefore the need for escort arrangements.

11.               SUPT An Koh Shian, Senior Assistant Director (Reception Operations) of Sentence Management Branch, SPS, said “This new video court facility marks a key step in our digital transformation. In close collaboration with our partner agencies, we can conduct more hearings remotely and reduce transport and escort requirements so that our officers can focus on other higher order work.”

12.               Video court hearings also improve the efficiency of post-court processes. Where inmates are scheduled for release or bail, these arrangements can be processed more efficiently from the Changi Prison Complex.

Future-Ready Court Operations

13.               With 81 video conferencing-enabled rooms and cubicles, this new video court facility is equipped to support a higher number of hearings and a wider range of proceedings.