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

What is the point in giving a poly graph if it’s not even admissible in court except for in specific circumstances? (Usually if only the defense and prosecutors agree)

Asked by Zarah about 6 years ago

That's not something I have anything to do with--it's the detectives' and/or attorneys' decision. I supposed they think if they get results that are really surprising it can hint if they're looking at the right people or not.

Last question. I'm sorry, these were for my class.
If you were just choosing a career field, would you still choose to be a forensic scientist? Why or why not?

Asked by Jessie over 4 years ago

Yes, absolutely. I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy as much.

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

Asked by Jamie over 4 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!

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 6 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.

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

Asked by Benny about 6 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.

What has been discovered or invented by you or other people who work in the field of forensics?
What is something I could tell my class and teachers that would surprise them about forensics?

Asked by Ella over 5 years ago

"Touch" DNA or "Contact DNA" can obtain a profile from an item that someone merely touched: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_DNA

I would say Rapid DNA, which can provide a profile in less than two hours and used in the battlefield, but that's been around since 2014.

And though you've seen it on TV every day for 50 years, it has not been possible for the average latent print examiner to scan in a fingerprint and search every person who's ever been fingerprinted, including job applicants and military. Most databases would be just county or state wide, and may or may not include job applicants (or staff) depending on the preferences of the agency, and certainly not the military, ICE or Interpol. At my department we only got the ability to remotely search the FBI database last year.

Hope that helps!

Hi,
What is the difference between forensic observation & forensic inference?

Asked by Caitlyn almost 6 years ago

I'm not familiar with those terms. Sorry I can't help!