Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

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I am in school for my a.s. in criminology because my school had no alternatives for forensics, I am now 2 semesters away from graduating with my a.s. and my school now has a crime scene technology a.s. degree. Should I change programs or continue?

Asked by Jozalyn over 4 years ago

That’s a tough question. If you want to work crime scenes, then the cs tech major might be better. If you want to work in the lab, it might not be very important. I would advise you to call the forensic units at the agencies you’d like to apply to and ask their opinion. With either degree, they may more likely place more emphasis on whether the courses had a lot of hands-on experience, if you have any work experience in the field, labs, internships, etc. That’s how my agency would feel.

Best of luck to you!

Sorry, I meant rape-and-murder, not tape-and-murder. Censored by autocorrect.

Asked by Laurel about 5 years ago

I was wondering!!

Can someone create false positive molestation forensic testing by wiping a week old rag with dried semen onto their child

Asked by Queen B over 4 years ago

I suppose anything’s possible, but it depends on how well a dried stain is going to transfer to anything. usually a dense, dried liquid simply flakes off a surface. Someone could try wetting the rag but I honestly don’t know how well that would work or if at all. Also, whoever is collecting any evidence off that child would have to swab that exact spot. So I can’t say it’s impossible but I would guess it’s unlikely to work. Hope that helps!

Are your books related off of real cases you have done and of corse maybe a little more realistic then many other books that are out there?

Asked by AJ almost 6 years ago

I try to make them realistic, but they’re not based on real cases. Except for Trail of Blood, which is partly about the unsolved Torso Murders in Cleveland in the 1930s.

Also, what did you think of those cops that went into that politicians office and napped, ate his food, and just made themselves at home during the riot?

Asked by Tina over 5 years ago

I am an expert in some areas of forensic science. I am not an expert in law, public safety policy or our political system.

How to become a blood spatter analyts?

Asked by Surya. E almost 6 years ago

You'd have to be a general CSI and then take extra continuing education in bloodstain pattern analysis specifically. Also, I can tell you from personal experience, if you really want to do a lot of it with great expertise, you need to live in an area where there will be lots of bloodspatter cases to practice and work on. Best of luck!

If shot from close range. Would a civil war era rifle bullet to the eye go all the way through someones head? I'm doing research for a film I'm helping with.

Asked by Shannon over 5 years ago

With all bullets a great deal depends on how much gunpowder is used--the charges can be underpowered or highly powered. But I asked my boss, a history major, and he says absolutely that one at close range entering the eye could go all the way through the head. Hope that helps!