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 I interview you on this for a school project?

Asked by Samantha over 7 years ago

Sure, email me at lisa-black@live.com.

can a person erase their fingerprints w/ household cleaning products

Asked by fierce95@yahoo.com over 7 years ago

From an object? Sure, if you clean the surface thoroughly.

- What is trace evidence? Are fingerprints considered trace evidence?
- How is evidence collected and documented?
- What is some frequently used equipment in the lab/ what are they used to look for?

Asked by AP about 7 years ago

I'm afraid those questions are much to broad for me to summarize here. See if your library has copies of Richard Saferstein's Forensic Science Handbooks or his smaller volumes on forensics.

So I eventually want to enter into being a forensics analysist, but I've encountered a problem. I recently got a medical marijuana card for a medical problem. And I am not a frequent user. Can I basically forget about being an forensics analysist.

Asked by Carisma about 7 years ago

I don't see why as that would be perfectly legal.

I was wondering, do people have different patterns on each finger? One finger tented arch, one plain arch sort of thing?

Asked by Amelia H. over 7 years ago

Yes, absolutely. Most people will have a mix of patterns on their fingers.

Ex branded my arm with writing . Heated something small and wrote name all over. Barley burns skin. Trying to make it stand out to take picture or somehow lift like finger print. I tried with finger dust powder from hobby store.???? any suggestions?

Asked by Larry about 7 years ago

If you could possibly create different colored filters for your camera with transparent, colored films? That might enhance the writing. That's all I can think of, sorry!

Can cigarette remains (Butts, partially smoked, etc.) be used to identify time in forensic investigation? (ex: Staleness)

Asked by Wolf - Research for Novel about 7 years ago

Not as far as I know. I think that would be too difficult because even if you could assess staleness, you wouldn't know how fast the person smokes a pack, therefore how long the pack had been open, how it had been stored, etc.