Abstract
The research that I conducted at the National Taipei University,1 and the Nanjing University,2 was carried out by means of “unstructured” interviews addressed to “privileged observers”.3 The unstructured interview is aimed at the spontaneous developing by the interlocutor of his/her own suggestions and ideas and is little influenced by the interviewer, who is concerned only to present the theme and provide food for thought. This research method is aimed at recognizing the basic traits of the institution investigated but also to allow some original ideas from the respondents; in our case the most interesting ideas are grouped under three main themes:
The Influence of Tradition: In most cases, respondents acknowledged the influence of tradition, especially the Confucian one, as an important imprint on the modern VOR, but there have been different ideas or more conservative positions that are worth examining further.
The Reasons for the Choice of VOR: On one side some respondents tended to consider the economic factor as fundamental in pushing victims to choose the reconciliation procedure, on the other side some respondents supported the fact that the payment of compensation should not be seen as a mere economic exchange but should be included in the broader context of the restoration of the victim-offender relationship, with the latter when paying the compensation, assumes responsibility for what he has done, accepts his guilt, and then tries to expiate it.
Future Perspectives: A general optimism permeates respondents when it comes to providing a prognosis on the development of the VOR; but also in this context, the enthusiasm comes in different degrees and directions, and therefore has to be specifically examined.
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Notes
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© 2016 Riccardo Berti
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Berti, R. (2016). Research Profiles about Victim-Offender Reconciliation in China and Taiwan. In: Victim-Offender Reconciliation in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. Palgrave Advances in Criminology and Criminal Justice in Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-52754-7_4
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