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

I am a student doing a research report, when can we connect?

Asked by Meshya Ragan over 7 years ago

Email me at: lisa-black@live.com.

I currently work as a Lab Tech in the Military and looking into future careers. I have a huge interest in forensics. The problem is I have a little bit of a criminal history when I was a kid. Will this be an issue when it comes to finding a job?

Asked by Re almost 8 years ago

I doubt it. It depends on how little it was, and if those juvenile records are sealed (they usually are) but if it didn't prevent you from joining the military I'm guessing it wouldn't affect you working in a crime lab.

What does your wok schedule
look like?

Asked by Denisse Parada about 7 years ago

We work 40 hours a week but one of us will be on call during the rest of the time, when no one is at work, 24/7/365.

How important are strong written and verbal communication skills in your field? ( I’m asking as an English assignment )

Asked by Madison almost 8 years ago

Well, they need to be complete and accurate, but otherwise the actual English used can be pretty basic. Happily we’re not graded on our composition skills!

What is the best way to read the writing imprints left on paper towels or ziplocks without scientific equipment?

Asked by Amyleigh73 about 8 years ago

I would try oblique lighting—try laying the piece down as flat as possible and then hold a flashlight to the side so the light beam travels across the piece instead of down onto it. Adjust the light to where it’s the most helpful. With the ziploc bag you might also put a piece of dark paper inside it to increase the constraint. That’s all I can think of since I’m not an expert in questioned documents. Best of luck!

I would like to know what exactly happens when using Hair and Fiber analysis to solve a crime. Are there any important things to remember when trying to solve a case involving those two things?

Asked by Adriana Brown almost 8 years ago

With hairs, you can’t identify one to a specific person with only microscopic examination—the main reason it is hardly used these days, and typically only as screening to decide to do DNA analysis. Then DNA analysis is actually done on the skin cells clinging around the root, because the actual hair doesn’t have any nuclear DNA. It does have mitochondrial DNA though few labs can do that.Fiber analysis is also rarely done these days because it can’t be positively identified to an article of clothing, or is it possible (usually) to find out how many of that article had been manufactured or sold and who they were sold to, etc. An analyst can say the fiber is consistent with coming from that article but that’s all. Unless there is a ‘jigsaw match’, a section of the material found that can be fit back into the article of clothing like a puzzle piece.Hope that helps!

I wanna know few details about image created date, modified and accessed date.if created and accessed date time same can i confirm that i viewed or saved or deleted the image by modify date.because i allowed automatically download media option in viber and when i check propertis of image without i seen or accessed how it comes with different modify date and same created accessed date.and same thing in viber/.thumbnail file because i never seen those images.

Asked by Bryan almost 8 years ago

I'm so sorry but I don't know. I'm not trained in digital forensics.