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.
Because fingerprints, tire tracks, footwear impressions and sometimes handwriting can, with sufficient individual characteristics, be identified to a specific person or item. (Glass can as well in the case of a 'jigsaw' match, when it physically fits into a piece of evidence.) These analyses require human attention and thorough training and competency and are not quite as simply done as adding a blood sample to a thermocycler for DNA analysis. Explaining DNA analysis takes a highly trained analyst but the actual process is largely automated.
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DNA is genetic material. Substances that contain cells that contain DNA, such as blood and sweat and saliva can have many other substances as well, but a crime lab would likely only look for DNA.
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I'm sorry but that's beyond my technical expertise. You need a toxicologist for that one.
Best of luck!
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Take all the science courses you can and visit labs that do the kind of services you’re interested in.
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Inner City English Teacher
Are you pressured by administrators to pass kids that aren't ready yet?
Meter Maid
What's the meanest thing anyone's ever said to you?
Claims Adjuster
Will you get disciplined if you approve too many claims?
Sure, I'll email you.
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Take as many science and then math courses as you can.
Best of luck!
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Sorry for the delay, I’ve been on vacation. I guess it depends where the activity took place. If it all took place in bed and they washed the sheets, then there may not be any to find. An alternate light source can look for possible spots of semen, but the problem is many things can fluoresce, such as vaginal secretions, sweat, saliva, cleaners, certain fibers, etc.
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