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.
Huh, that's a good question. I hope my books show what it's really like, except, of course, that my protagonist spends much more time out of the lab than in it, which is not at all realistic.
The non-fiction TV shows and books show reality, however, you have to remember that they're presenting cases that most investigators may come across once or twice in a lifetime.
Fiction shows, like "CSI" in which they have computerized databases of every substance in the world including toothpaste and wall paint, or ones in which female pathologists wear cocktail dresses to work. are definitely not realistic at all.
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See above.
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We don't have a set schedule for interns. They'll come in on weekdays, but other than that we work with their school/work schedule.
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Medicine. Forensic pathologists are doctors and go to medical school. So I would suggest you take every science course you can, especially biological sciences. Best of luck to you!
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Is Apple is still the young and hip brand or have mom and dad spoiled it?
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How sanitary are the pedicure basins really?
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If your bus is in an accident that was ruled your fault, would you lose your job?
Sorry, I think that's something I used to know years ago but have since forgotten. I know the DNA can be cut, maybe by enzymes? into the sections of short tandem repeats. But I haven't done DNA analysis in 20 years, so my skills are not up to date. Sorry I couldn't help!
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I always loved mysteries and detection, but didn't want to be a cop.
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I don’t interview suspects—or victims or witnesses.That’s the detective’s job. I’m there to analyze and collect evidence.
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