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

s it possible to determine trajectory that a gun was fired, if so, how?

Asked by Noah B over 8 years ago

At it’s most basic, a trajectory is just geometry. If you can find two fixed points then you can draw a straight line between and beyond them.

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

Asked by Kayla Fitzgerald over 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.

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!

how do you become a forensic science technician

Asked by Philisa Claridy over 8 years ago

A 'forensic science technician' can refer to anything from someone who works in the Property Department to someone who does DNA analysis to someone who investigates death scenes. A good way to get a handle on the situation is to look at online job postings from places where you might want to work--the local police department, the county morgue, the state crime lab. They will post the duties and requirements for each position. You can also check the same information on the websites of professional organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences or the International Association for Identification. That should give you a good start.

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

Asked by Dom almost 9 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.

why did you choose this job/career

Asked by anthony melendez over 8 years ago

if you have homework assignment interview questions, please email me all of them at once at: Lisa-black@live.com and I’ll get back to you.

research for a novel:
How would a severed hand found on a Cornish coast in autumn after two weeks at sea reveal that it had been in the sea that long and would you know roughly, how long the hand's owner might have lived for at sea? Thank you hugely!

Asked by Helene du Mauri almost 9 years ago

Generally bodies in the water decompose more slowly than bodies exposed to air, but more specifically than that I cannot tell you. I did find this: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/handle/10877/4078

It's really a pathology question and not my area. Also colder temperatures will cause slower decomposition than warmer temps.

I definitely can't answer your second question but also, are you asking a) how long the person lived as a sailor b) how long the person was in the water before the hand was cut off or c) how long they might have survived in the water after the hand was cut off (assuming they had no access to a tourniquet and such like)? If you could locate someone who worked as a ship's doctor they might be a big help.

Best of luck!!