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

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

Asked by Jamie about 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!

Biggest pet peeve out of co workers? I also heard working at police and sherif departments your lunch is always stolen is this true?

Asked by Mike over 4 years ago

That's never happened to me at the police department, but then there's only my forensic unit with access to our refrigerator so it's not a problem. But it used to happen in the lunch room at the coroner's office all the time! I injected candy with hot sauce once. That stopped it for about a week.

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

Asked by Caitlyn over 4 years ago

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

Hi,

You recently advised that a simple black powder would reveal glove prints deposited by Nitrile gloves. Would Latent Silk Black Print Powder, manufactured by a company called Sirchie be a good choice?

Thank you.

Asked by Richard Gray over 4 years ago

Sure--any good quality black powder should have the same effect.

What did you major in and where? Also did you have a minor?

Asked by Ramen over 4 years ago

I have a bachelor’s degree in biology from Cleveland State University. I didn’t have a minor.

Is blood soaked evidence washed after testing? For example a leather glove. Would it just be dried out and kept like that or do they clean the blood off.

Asked by bailey over 4 years ago

No, nothing is cleaned. It’s just dried and then kept as is. For one thing you might want to do more testing in the future so you’d never want to wash your evidence away.

Did you have to get pepper sprayed and tased in training?

Asked by Ashlyn over 4 years ago

Our police officers do, but I'm a civilian forensic specialist, so I didn't. (I also don't carry a gun, don't interview or arrest people and make a lot less money.)