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

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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.

Is it normal for All Government Offices to Destroy a minor child's death records and accident report????

Asked by Brandy over 8 years ago

Not that I'm aware of. Are you sure they were destroyed? Or simply not located at that office?

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.

Hey! I am doing a research paper for my high-school project and I was wondering if Icould interview you.Provided ofcourse its not a bother. My email-id is divyas.menon@yahoo.com

Thanks!

Asked by Divya about 8 years ago

Sure, I will email you.

Why are some surfaces easier for fingerprints to rub off of than others?

Asked by Max G about 8 years ago

If you page up to the very first question, the answer goes into this in some detail.

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

Asked by Noah B about 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.

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 about 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!