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

Can a child who is allegedly punched several times by an adult. Get a bump and not bruise? and do bruises typically take 2 weeks to fade. Why 6 days later am I not seeing even a faded yellow mark. I am so confused!!!

Asked by Katie Strange over 7 years ago

I don't know exactly, but I know from personal experience that bruises are strange and unpredictable. I can bump into something terribly hard and have no mark, and then have a huge bruise from some injury I only very vaguely remember. I also don't know exactly how long they take to fade, and that might also be affected by how deep they were in the first place or the physical condition of the person. Sorry I can't be more help.

Have you ever seen anything like from the movie SAW

Asked by Ally over 7 years ago

I actually haven’t seen that movie. Do you mean super bloody homicides or ones where some psycho has set up a torture chamber? (The answers would be yes to the former, no to the latter.)

How can I start a path towards becoming a forensic scientist? I am especially interested in DNA and toxicology.

Asked by Ryota about 6 years ago

I would major in biochemistry for either, and/or genetics for DNA. Best of luck!!

What are the weirdest or odd things in crime scene that you've ever encounter?

Asked by KennyV almost 8 years ago

Huh...that's a tough question. Nothing really stands out...everything is a little weird in some ways but not incredibly so. Perhaps the most unusual thing I ever had to examine was a safety harness from a window washer who fell 38 floors. Mostly I'm just amazed at the way people live, and the things people do to their houses. (And what they think looks good in terms of decor.)The most fun thing we had, at a homicide scene, was the homeless victim's cat with her litter of small kittens. That rivaled the litter of puppies who had a temporary bed in the master bath jacuzzi tub of a grow house.

What exactly is Forensic Science? What are the components of it? What did you major in university to work as a Forensic Scientist?

Asked by Jasmine almost 8 years ago

It is scientific information applied to matters pertaining to the law. And what you major in depends on what area you're going in to--pathology, toxicology, entemology, etc.

is there any "dream" future advancement that can be made to help improve the forensic processes?

Asked by MB2000 almost 8 years ago

Automatic access to a national fingerprint database. Even though you see it on TV every day, it's not really possible for police departments. At best we are tied into the state database, but not any sort of national or international one, at least not without a lot of hoops.

Have you ever found any bodies with missing organs? Do you know the effects on a body when organs are removed in a crude way?

Asked by Aly over 7 years ago

No and no, I’m afraid. That’s more a question for a pathologist.