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.
Temporarily, with sandpaper or chemicals, but they will grow back in the same pattern.
Take all the science courses you can, and visit and talk to forensic science personnel. You'll find them very approachable.
Most agencies do not have huge staffs like on TV, and people tend to stay in the field. Thanks to the TV shows there is a universe more competition than I faced. On the other hand thanks to the current emphasis on forensics, agencies are always expanding--the federal government will be setting mandates and providing grant money to expand labs and services Check out every level (city, county, state, federal) in your area that you can find and also private labs. Check the websites for the International Association for Identification and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
All the interesting, different, bizarre stories that make up the crimes that have happened that we have to investigate.
Casino Dealer
How do you prove that someone is card-counting?
Subway Store Manager
The 6" sub is too small and the 12" is too big. Why no 9-inch sub?
Certified Nurse Aide
Have you ever seen any 'senior abuse' in your nursing home?
I would never want to discourage someone from this field because I love it. But it's a very popular field right now so I would also advise anyone to have a career plan B.
Yes, absolutely.
Interesting question, but I doubt I can be of much help. A body can do one of two things after death--decompose or desiccate. So it might turn into sludge or it might become a mummy. It might depend on temperature or pH levels (more relevant if the car was buried) to determine which way it would go. Being sealed would definitely slow the process to a crawl. I had a body in an attic once that was partially wrapped in plastic, and after three years the wrapped areas still had plenty of flesh and the unwrapped parts were down to bone.
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