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 hear there is a lot of politics in police work is this true and why?

Asked by Bobbi sue almost 6 years ago

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!

What work do you do on a daily basis?

Asked by Janessa Dillon over 4 years ago

At my department I mostly work with fingerprints, analyzing and comparing fingerprints that I collect off pieces of evidence or pick up at crime scenes or ones that the officers submit after they collect them at crime scenes. I will also go to crime scenes, photograph, collect prints, items of evidence, maybe test for blood or collect samples of blood with sterile swabs. There’s also a lot of time spent writing up all this information in our reports and other paperwork. If I worked in DNA or ballistics or toxicology, I would probably spend all day in the lab doing those types of analysis. So it depends on where you work, what services they provide, and what your exact position is. I hope that helps!

Have, is, or are there any of your books that are, is, or will be a movie?

Asked by 272 about 6 years ago

Trace Evidence, my first book, was optioned and I wrote the screenplay for it. But the producers couldn’t sell it and had to give up. I’ve had nibbles on other books but nothing yet. I keep hoping!

Since my finance passed away a month ago and there's been something eating at me now and I don't want anyone to think I'm going crazy. I found him on the floor but how can his legs bend perfectly and his knees
directly on top of each other perfectly

Asked by Shell almost 6 years ago

I’m sorry for your loss. What was the cause of death?

What is the cost to a criminal defendant to have a print run through the FBI's AFIS system? Has that cost remained the same from 1999 through the present?

Asked by MsM about 5 years ago

I'm sorry but I have absolutely no idea. I didn't know there was a cost. I would have guessed that their attorney could request a court order to do so from the judge and the police agency that has the print would take care of it, but I really don't know. Sorry I can't be more help.

How would you determine if the dye on two pieces of thread are the same? Would you use Ramen Spectroscopy?

Asked by Mike over 5 years ago

That's an excellent question that unfortunately I can't answer. One probably would use it, but back when I did hairs and fibers it was generally thought that the only way was to extract the dye and do thin-layer chromatography, which we didn't have. We also didn't have a Ramen, so all I could do was microscopic comparison.

Best of luck!

What are the top 10 most fun/ interesting facts about your job?

Asked by Miki23 over 5 years ago

Wow, that’s a tough question! I’m not sure I could come up with ten.