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

can one work as both forensic archaeologist and pathologist too ?

Asked by jeojaral_123@yahoo.com over 11 years ago

I don't see why not. I'm sure a coroner's or medical examiner's would love to have a pathologist trained in excavating buried bodies and crime scenes. However if you want to work as a pathologist but also do archaology work for other agencies or take leaves to work on archaeological digs, you'd have to work for an agency that would be okay with you working as a pathologist part time. 

You just answered my question, was looking into being a forensic technician, analyzing the bodies at the scene, maybe even look at them after. Would you think a major in biology be a smart move? Minor in criminology? Along those lines?

Asked by Taylor M over 10 years ago

If you're working with the bodies then you'd probably be a medicolegal death investigator. You might want to check out their organization: http://www.abmdi.org/And this page: http://www.abmdi.org/faqBest of luck!

I want to become a crime scene investigator but I'm not sure how to get going on that, I am in college study in criminal justice, what should I do? Do I have to become a place officer? And what would disqualify me from becoming a csi? Thank you!

Asked by Joy keirstead about 11 years ago

Every agency--police departments, M.E. offices, state police--has their own rules and requirements. The best thing to do is check the websites or contact the agencies where you'd like to work and ask them.

Do you have to be extremely smart to be a forensic scientist or is it more learning how everything works?

Asked by Kristen Scott over 11 years ago

Oh yes, I'm extremely smart. Just kidding! No, you don't have to be some kind of friggin' genius like you see on TV. You just have to be reasonably intelligent, reasonably sensible, reasonably observant, and have a good amount of attention to detail, respect for rules, and patience. It also helps to be pleasant and able to get along with people. Even though most of our victims are dead, the families, witnesses, cops and detectives are very much alive and under a lot of stress.

Do you use helminthic parasites as a way of proving sexual crimes if the crime took place a long time ago?

Asked by Jenifer about 11 years ago

I'm sorry, I haven't had any experience with that.

Does being an attractive female help or hurt your professional ability to carry out your assignments as a CSI?

Asked by Bill W. about 11 years ago

As much or as little as it does in any other profession. At least half if not most forensic techs are female, so it's not that uncommon to have attractive ones. Many moons ago I used to be one, so I know that sometimes it's helpful to have people open doors for you, and sometimes it's a royal pain in the neck.

Can a 9mm use 38 bullets

Asked by Dianna over 10 years ago

No. A .357 can shoot .38 bullets (not vice versa, or the gun will blow up) but 9mm can't shoot 38 bullets because they're shaped a little differently. It's confusing because what we call .38 caliber are actually .357, and 9mm is actually .380--in size, but a 9mm gun cannot shoot .380 bullets. You would have to read the forensic report carefully and maybe ask for clarification. I've never worked in ballistics, so perhaps there's a chance that the report is saying that the projectile had a .380 diameter, not that it was a .380 bullet, in which case it could have come from a 9mm gun?