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.
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.
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Take as many science and then math courses as you can.
Best of luck!
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titles and job requirements aren't uniform, so the only way to know is to call the crime labs in your area or whereever 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.
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I couldn’t. I don’t know if a pathologist or biologist could.
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Good question. If the surface isn't disturbed and the temperature and humidity are cool and steady, I know fingerprints can last indefinitely, so I suppose skin cells would last as well.
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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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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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