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

Hi what job can i do in forensics that does not require pure math

Asked by Lamecia over 5 years ago

I don’t know what you mean by pure math. Most crime scene work, fingerprints, tool marks, serology, might need regular adding and subtracting, but I don’t know of any field that uses calculus or algebra. DNA analysis uses a lot of statistics and ballistics and traffic accident investigation might use physics and geometry. But those are the only examples I can think of.

Best of luck!

So do you pretty much get to do all the fun stuff without as much paper work?

Asked by Rae over 4 years ago

No, we have lots of paperwork. Lots.

At a postmortem crime scene where hair has fallen out from the victim, over time, is all the loose hair collected for evidence or just some of it

Asked by Leesa almost 5 years ago

That would depend a great deal on the circumstances. Any hair actually on the victim that does not appear to belong to the victim would likely be collected. If there was obviously a struggle, if the victim was beaten or strangled, hairs on their hands or caught in their fingers would warrant special attention or any clumps of hair nearby. If the victim's lying on a carpet that apparently hasn't been vacuumed for the past decade, then single hairs might be disregarded. If the person is outside and shot from a distance, then hairs would likely be disregarded.

I hope that helps!

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

Asked by Miki23 about 5 years ago

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

How has forensic equipment changed and developed over the time of your career?

Asked by Christina Phokou almost 5 years ago

Departments have access to larger (county, state, sometimes federal) fingerprint databases, though it's still not like you see on TV. DNA analysts can now obtain a profile from 'touch DNA', someone simply touching an object. And video surveillance systems have become commonplace but also much easier to use with better clarity.

is there any device in existance which can sense a possible forensic evidence and give you something to strat search with????

Asked by rekhab almost 5 years ago

That depends on the kind of forensic evidence.

How to identify if s nose was broken from a fall or from a punch

Asked by Doug about 5 years ago

I”m sorry but I have no idea—you’d need a pathologist for that one.