I watched a programme called Panorama on BBC on internet bullies. It helped me with my research as it enabled me to ser how internet bullies attack people and what it can lead to. I also thought that it was helpful when Cher Lloyd was interviewed and she explained how it affected her.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01c00y3

Dangers of meeting people online

http://old.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0506/pl.htm
This link gives information on meeting people online.

You may come into contact with malicious people misrepresenting themselves. These are people you don’t want to know. Internet thieves and sexual predators are only too eager to exploit personal information found on social networking sites. They are out there and willing to hurt you unless you take precautions to protect yourself.

• Consider restricting access to your profile. If the site allows it, it’s a good idea to limit access to your profile. Don’t allow strangers to learn everything they can about you. It’s just not safe.
• Keep your private information private. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, full birth date, financial information, or schedule. These will make you vulnerable to identity thieves, scams, burglars, or worse.
• Choose a screen name that is different from your real name. Avoid using any personal information that would help someone identify or locate you offline.
• Think twice before posting your photo. Photos can be used to identify you offline. They can also be altered or shared without your knowledge.
• Don’t post information that makes you vulnerable to a physical attack. Revealing where you plan to meet your friends, your class schedule, or your street address is almost an open invitation for someone to find you. Remember that a photo in front of the Co-op tells strangers you are in Austin, and quite likely at the university.
• Use your common sense. If you are contacted by a stranger online, find out if any of your established friends know the person, or run an online search on them (after all, you can use these things to your own benefit too!). If you agree to meet them, make it in a public place and invite others to join you.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel threatened or uncomfortable during an online interaction, don’t continue the dialogue. Report any offensive behavior to the social networking Web site administrators.
• Be suspicious. Don’t take any information you receive from a new online contact at face value. The Internet makes it easy for people to say or do things they would never say or do in public or in face-to-face interactions. Protecting yourself is the smart thing to do.

Drug Use

A drug may be helpful or harmful. The effects of drugs can vary depending upon the kind of drug taken, how much is taken, how often it is used, how quickly it gets to the brain, and what other drugs, food, or substances are taken at the same time. Effects can also vary based on the differences in body size, shape, and chemistry. Smoking tobacco, taking illegal drugs, and sniffing glue can all cause serious damage to the human body. Some drugs severely impair a person's ability to make healthy choices and decisions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4094183.stm
This link goes to a new reports on Drink and Drug use within teens.

Underage Drinking

This is what Liam does in his spare time and the drinking and drugs can effect his behaviour and his actions.
'Binge' drinking every now and then tends to be far more harmful to health than drinking a moderate amount occasionally. It has also been suggested that teenagers are more likely to have casual sex if they are regular drinkers.
Doctors think that this effect could be far more pronounced in the young, as alcohol will tend to have more effect on their developing bodies. The increase in the availability of 'designer drinks', the so-called "alcopops" has been accused of making alcohol far more attractive to younger people. Research has shown that it is particularly the 13 to 16 age group that is attracted to the idea of alcopops.
Doctors are worried about an apparent increase in the number of young teenagers who are drinking heavily. While many of the more serious health effects of drinking affect those who have been drinking for many years, it is feared that alcohol abuse during the formative years sets a pattern for later life.
Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use.

It is a major cause of death from injuries among young people.

approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking;

this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of

homicides, 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls,

burns, and drownings.
Increases the risk of carrying out, or being a victim of, physical or sexual assault.

Can cause a range of physical consequences.

range from hangovers to death from alcohol poisoning.
Is associated with other problems and drug use.

Interferes with an adolescent’s ability to judge risk and make sound decisions.

For example, after drinking, a teen may not fully appreciate the risk of driving a car

“under the influence” or too fast, the risks of sexual activity, or the risk of aggressive

or violent behavior. The result of such behaviors can be life-changing, whether as the

result of illness or injury, or involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Plays a significant role in risky sexual behavior.

unintended, and unprotected sexual activity, and sex with multiple partners. Such

behavior increases the risk for unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases

(STDs), including infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Can cause changes in the structure and function of the developing brain, especially when kids drink heavily.

This is a major concern because (1) the brain continues to develop into the mid-20s, (2) so many adolescents begin to drink at a young age, and (3) so many youth binge when they drink.

These may include academic failure and physical effects,

Research into self harm

There are vulnerable groups such as:

• Girls and young women
• Young people aged between 15 and 25 years-old;
• People who live in residential care or secure institutions;
• Gay, bisexual, transgender men and women;
• People who are dependent on alcohol or street drugs.

What causes self harm:

• Low self-esteem;
• Poor body image;
• Bullying or discrimination;
• Unwanted pregnancy;
• A serious illness that affects the way you feel about yourself;
• Worries over sexuality;
• Cultural/racial difficulties;
• Feelings of rejection, lack of love and affection by parents or carers;
• Parents getting divorced/family breakdown and conflict;
• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse;
• Domestic violence;
• A bereavement;
• Work pressures;
• Money worries;
• Depression;
• The self-harm or suicide of someone close to you;
• Isolation and loneliness;
• Anxiety;
• Drug and alcohol misuse;
• Relationship problems.

Purpose of self-harm
Some people harm themselves because they don't know how else to cope with pressures from family, school and peer groups. Extreme feelings such as fear, anger, guilt, shame, helplessness, self-hatred, unhappiness, depression or despair can build up over time. When these feelings become unbearable, self-harm can be a way of dealing with them.
Reasons young people have given for their self-harm include:

When the level of emotional pressure becomes too high it acts as a safety valve - a way of relieving the tension;

• Cutting makes the blood take away the bad feelings;
• Pain can make you feel more alive when feeling numb or dead inside;
• Punishing oneself in response to feelings of shame or guilt;
• When it's too difficult to talk to anyone, it's a form of communication about unhappiness and a way of acknowledging the need for help;
• Self-harm gives a sense of control that's missing elsewhere in life.

Some people self-harm with the intention of ending their life or they may be unsure about whether they want to survive, for example, taking an overdose and leaving it to fate to decide the outcome.

Further research into detectives

In some police departments, a detective position is not appointed, it is a position achieved by passing a written test after a person completes the requirements for being a police officer. Detectives have a wide variety of techniques available in conducting investigations. However, the majority of cases are solved by the interrogation of suspects and the interviewing of witnesses, which takes time. Besides interrogations, detectives may rely on a network of informants they have cultivated over the years. In criminal investigations, once a detective has suspects in mind, the next step is to produce evidence that will stand up in a court of law.

Characterization for the Detective - Research

For the character and personalityof my detective is influenced by Mac Taylor who is a fictional character from the CSI New York series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Taylor
The way that the detective works is similar to Mac Taylor. I have also decided to use the same last name for my detective in my play.