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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

989 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

What do you think is the worst case you have ever done. What’s the most gruesome, frustrating, or however you define it.

Asked by Mark almost 5 years ago

Probably the most raw was a small plane crash.

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 5 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.

Is every death counted as COVID if someone has it even if it is murder, car wreck, heart failure, suicide, or anything else?

Asked by Tim almost 5 years ago

I”ve heard that rumor too, but I don’t see how it could possibly be true. Cause of death is decided by a myriad of different doctors. Generally it is signed by the doctor who was caring for the patient regarding the condition that led (or at least appeared to lead) to the death. If that is not clear, if the person wasn’t consistently under a doctor’s care or if, say, a cancer patient suffers a traumatic car accident, then cause could be determined by a different doctor. That could be a pathologist at the Medical Examiner’s Office, a cancer patient’s oncologist, an ill person’s regularly-visited doctor, the doctor on staff at a nursing home, a hospital doctor who’s been caring for the patient during a temporary stay, or even an emergency room doctor. In the past few months I’ve been called to a number of deaths and none of them were ruled as COVID cases.

What did you think of that man who was killed? Was it just a cop on a power trip? Did the cop do anything wrong in the first place? Was it racism? What do you think?

Asked by Lisa almost 5 years ago

I don’t know anything more than you do.

Have you ever seen something so graphic you had to go throw up?

Asked by Kamryn almost 5 years ago

Nope. I’m lucky to have a pretty cast iron stomach.

Can a Bachelors Degree in Health Science get you a job as a forensic science technician?

Asked by Harmony Smith over 3 years ago

If the agency you apply to accepts it, then yes. Our agency just asks for at least an associate's degree but doesn't specify the subject, so you would qualify. What an agency is looking for beyond any degree is up to them. They might want only those with forensic training, or they might prefer someone who's had laboratory training even if not specifically in forensics over someone who had forensic training but no hands-on lab work. The only way to know is to call them and ask. Best of luck to you!

Sorry I meant badge number 100 as a example because they usually go by badge. Anyways sometimes they will call into base, dispatch, or station and I want to know the difference?

Asked by Nsnsns almost 5 years ago

At my agency we’d be calling either Dispatch or, less likely, another person, in which case we’d use their badge number. What people call their dispatch unit, base, station, (we call them the name of the city, the first word in ‘such and such police department) probably depends on the habits of that particular agency. In other words there is no difference. Hope that helps!