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

Hi, my name is Tyler and I have a lot of questions and was wondering if it was possible to talk to you one on one via email if that's OK. My email is tylerkinsler@yahoo.com.

Asked by Tyler over 8 years ago

Sure, I'll email you.

Hello I have a question about forensic science, I am a senior in high school and I want to know what are the steps to take to be a forensic scientist

Asked by Jessica over 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 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.

What is the difference between a forensic psychologist and a criminal psychologist?

Asked by soph02 about 8 years ago

I apologize but I have absolutely no idea. I suspect there may not be a difference.

I’m trying to use a dna detection kit (phosphate) to test a stain for semen. How old does the stain need to be for it to turn positive(blue/purple)? The stains could be 6mo. to a year old. on Berber carpet.

Many thanks

Asked by PH over 8 years ago

That’s hard to say. It depends not only on how old the stain is but how old or how sensitive the reagents are. I’ve had old known semen stains not react with relatively new reagents so it is possible.

A crime scene, body fond in freezer, the couple murder worker that cleans the apartment, the body fond in freezer, they discover that the body was killed else where frozen, moved to another state and put in freezer, how they figure it out?

Asked by Sherlock about 8 years ago

So the victim was killed and put in a freezer, then moved to another state and put in another freezer? I have no idea how that would be figured out, unless they leave some compelling clue frozen with the victim.

I ask because I saw Saw VI that day I think & they took prints off a guy's closed eyelids. Speaking of which, they found traces of Freon R-12 within the prints, as the hand possessing them was removed from a 'corpse' & refrigerated. Is that possible?

Asked by R-Mod over 8 years ago

I am not sure that it would be possible to detect freon, particuarly the type of freon, as I have no idea what instrumentation would be used or its limits of detection or what effect contact with live or dead would have on the compounds, whether it would tend to react with them or not. I do think it's highly unlikely they would look for that as they would most likely, after the prints had been developed and photographed for the ridge detail, swab up the prints and test them for DNA from the person who left the prints. That process would be designed to detect DNA and nothing else. I suspect these results would come from a magical movie 'Batcomputer' that can tell you every single thing about anything on the planet you drop into it.

I am conducting a research assignment for my Writing 222 class and wanted to site a source off of my own interview. I was wondering if you would mind answering a few questions through email. If you're interested please email me at jennahr45@gmail.com

Asked by Jennah over 8 years ago

Sure, I'll email you.