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

Would taking Chemistry, Biology, Maths and Criminology for A levels be a good start for this job or should I opt for a different option?

Asked by Katrina over 8 years ago

I think those sound like fabulous courses for this field.

What are the most common ways that people have been killed

Asked by bart white over 8 years ago

Gunshot is the most common, then bludgeoning, then stabbing.

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 almost 9 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!

What's the most stressful part of being a Forensic scientist?

Asked by Sam over 9 years ago

Being 'on call' and knowing you can be interrupted at any moment of the day and have to go to a crime scene, even if it's the middle of the night or a holiday. Having to get up once or twice during the night after working 10-12 hours and knowing you have to work those hours for another day or two is pretty disheartening. I've also had to change vacations because I have to testify in a trial. I hate that. 

In a hanging subject dead can a swelling happen from a bang to head during the cutting down of the body. person dead for 45 mins or more

Asked by Joyce over 8 years ago

As far as I know that shouldn't happen because functions stop when the person dies, but that's really a question for a pathologist. I also don't know if swelling, depending upon where it is, might happen as a result of the hanging. Sorry I can't be more help.

What college classes would benefit a forensic degree best? Biology, Chemistry ?

Asked by Sarah over 8 years ago

That depends on what you want to go into. If you want toxicology, go with chemistry. If you want serology or DNA, go with biology. If crime scene, general forensic science.

Like someone ripped out his brain and placed it in the mans hand. And then ripped the wife's heart and placed in his other hand. ... sorry if im taking up too much of your time.

Asked by Paula again over 8 years ago

Oh, sorry, for some reason I thought you meant that the guy had done it himself. In that case it is quite possible of course. The scene would be very bloody, of course, with all those injuries. The bodies would bleed out but probably more from gravity than from the heart pumping because they would have died so quickly. (At least I’m assuming the attack was over quickly.) The heart is about the size of the person’s fist and, obviously, would be blood covered after removal. A brain is grayish white and convoluted and other than some blood smears would look fairly neat, if the entire thing was removed carefully as one would at an autopsy. The killer would need a scraping tool and the expertise to do that. Otherwise it would probably look pretty mangled, but still largely a grayish white color.Hope that helps!