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

Best Rated

I would like to become a forensic scientist but I would like to know the job market whether I could find a job easily.

Asked by Miriam almost 5 years ago

That depends on where you live or where you want to work. You can check job vacancy postings at local agencies, or if you’re willing to relocate then check vacancy postings on organization websites like American Academy of Forensic Science or International Association for Identification. That will give you an idea of what is available and what the requirements are. Best of luck!

Hello Lisa, what has changed in your job since you started to now

Asked by Jamie over 3 years ago

The ability to find 'contact' DNA, the improvement and proliferation of video cameras and the improvement and proliferation of downloading cell phone data. I think those are the major points.

Hope that helps!

I knew the Coroner, the people who ran a forensics company, and other people who worked for them. How where they able to eat in the little room next to the morgue? With windows to see and the smell? They would eat lunch in there.

Asked by Ray about 5 years ago

Did it every day. If it bothers you, you probably don't want to work there. Though our lunchroom was on an upper floor so there was no sight, just sometimes smells.

What are some types of questions you wished people would stop asking

Asked by question to all over 5 years ago

Thanks for asking! I wish kids would stop cutting and pasting their homework questions for me to answer for them.

Thanks for your quick response.

Besides black powder, do I need to use a special type of brush and/or lighting such as a UV light to uncover gloveprints?

I should add that the color of the Nitrile gloves I am trying to obtain prints from are blue.

Asked by Richard Gray about 5 years ago

No, just a regular brush, and UV light, as far as anyone here knows, wouldn’t make any difference. The gloves will, however, leave more traces the longer they are worn.

I found my finance on the floor but his legs were bent perfect and his knees together on top of each other. How is that possible? I'm thinking someone killed him

Asked by Shell about 5 years ago

That's quite possible, the body reacts with the fetal position to many circumstances. I responded to a fatal traffic accident--it actually happened right in front of me--and the victim was thrown from the truck, and that's exactly how I found her. However, bodies and causes of death are really questions for a pathologist.

Do you wear a white suit? If so why or why not? What is really the point?

Asked by Benny about 5 years ago

Do you mean a Tyvek suit? To prevent cross contamination? We have whole body suits but have not yet had a scene that required them. We will wear disposable booties and of course gloves for any homicide scene. Sometimes the point, as with fentanyl and COVID risks, is to protect ourselves, and sometime the point is protect the scene and keep from dragging trace evidence from outside the scene to inside the scene.