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.
As far as the job is concerned, I would think the odds of getting the job would be the same, but there are other considerations. The pay and benefits are different (at least at my agency) between sworn and civilian because they’re different unions. A sworn officer would be taking less pay and benefits to be non-sworn so the hiring party might wonder why, or worry that they would get tired of it and want to leave.
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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!
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I’ve done microscopic comparisons of animal hairs, when I was doing hair and fiber comparisons at the coroner’s office, to establish a connection between items found on a suspect’s clothing or environment and items found on a victim’s clothing or environment. That’s about it.
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Lividity can be patchy depending on areas of pressure. So you can have reddened areas where the blood flowed in and stayed next to clear areas where the body was pressed against a surface and the blood couldn't pool. You would need to talk to a pathologist for more thorough information. I'm sorry for your loss.
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My guess is it depends on what you want to do. If you want to work in a lab, then biology for DNA or trace evidence or chemistry for toxicology would be the way to go. If you want to work in the field, mostly at the crime scene, then you might want the more general forensic science. Go on the websites of agencies and professional organizations, look at their vacancy postings, and see what they ask for. Best of luck!
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Before I worked in forensics, I was a personnel secretary, a hotel maid, and an ice cream counter server and a gas station 'full service specialist'. My husband is an elevator field engineer. There is 'politics' in every profession. Every. Single. One.
Best of luck!
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I have no idea as I’ve never worked as a first responder. I would suspect that’s largely a plot device for film or books, but I don’t actually know.
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