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 about 8 years ago

I think those sound like fabulous courses for this field.

What is the first thing a forensic team does when they reach the crime scene in this case homicide?

Asked by marge white about 8 years ago

Get everybody out of it, and then take pictures.

How do you use chemistry in your job as a forensic scientist?

Asked by Kayla Fitzgerald about 8 years ago

I use it the way you use your computer without writing code. I have chemicals that I use to process for prints, but we just purchase them. There are a few reagents we mix ourselves. At the coroners office we mixed almost all ourselves. A toxicologist, on the other hand, would use it every day.

If a person died from a bullet wound within an hour and his eyes are open and he was shot 24 more times will his eyes stay open or would they shut from muscle contractions. If alive with 1 shot, then shot 24 times will eyes be open or shut

Asked by Ggrreenn over 8 years ago

I have no idea. It could be either. It doesn't matter how many times they were shot. As far as I know it would only matter if their eyes were open or not at the moment they died, not what happened before or after they died.

Hi Lisa, my names Analicia and I just started my first semester in college to be a Forensic Specialist/CSI. I would love to know all the required steps, and advice to get to what I want to do. Thank you.

Asked by Analicia Smith almost 8 years ago

Titles and job requirements aren't uniform, so the only way to know is to call the crime labs in your area or wherever you might be interested in working and ask them. At the coroner's office we had to have at least a bachelor's in a natural science (this was before they had forensic science majors). At the police department where I am now, they only require a high school diploma but you get more points in the interviewing process for having a four year degree, so we all have one. You can also go on the websites for professional organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and check out their job vacancy postings and see what the various positions require. Good luck.

What are the most common mistakes a killer/murderer that gets them caught?

Asked by bart white about 8 years ago

The vast, vast majority of people who kill people didn't plan to kill someone, so they often leave fingerprints, blood, witnesses, text messages, and then come up with some sort of story that sounded good in their head but wouldn't fool a 6 year old.

Where would you say is the best university to study forensic science?

Asked by Dom over 8 years ago

I'm sorry but I wouldn't have any idea. They didn't even have forensic science degrees when I went to school.