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

Do you ever go through computers and what’s the weirdest thing you have found? Do you run through everything? And do you ever find things that most people think would be gone

Asked by Dillon over 6 years ago

I do not, as I'm not trained in digital forensics. But my coworker who is says that many many times, what people think is deleted is not really deleted.

What do you like about your career

Asked by Ana about 7 years ago

For school projects, please email me all the questions at once at: lisa-black@live.com

Hi do you know about Forengsic’s regarding suicides?

Asked by Linda over 6 years ago

That’s a very broad question. What specifically do you need to know?

How anonymous are people really on the dark, deep, and even on the regular internet? What about websites where people talk about bad things they have, doing, or going to do without signing up or anything?

Asked by Dan about 6 years ago

I'm sorry, but I have no idea. I don't work in digital forensics.

Which, in your opinion, is the most effective in solving crime on a daily basis: DNA analysis, Fingerprint analysis or Luminol (or other) spray testing?

Asked by Eliza over 6 years ago

Luminal and dye stains just enhance or show you where things are, like blood or fingerprints. DNA analysis and fingerprint analysis are equally effective, so you use what you have. You might have DNA at a crime scene but no fingerprints, or vice versa. We don’t get a choice of what’s left at a crime scene, so we have to make the most of whatever is there. Given that, whatever is the most effective is whatever gives you information relevant to the crime. Say there’s a smear of the victim’s blood on the suspect’s shirt. The suspect tells police he found the body and tried to administer CPR. In that case, the DNA is very much there, but useless to solve the crime. If the suspect says he never met the victim and the same shirt is found in the suspect’s closet , then that’s very relevant to solving the crime.

How do I become a forensic Scientist and what skills should I obtain?

Asked by Laura L. almost 7 years ago

Any science major is a good thing. The requirements for each agency or lab vary, so if you have a particular location in which you wish to work, you might call all your potential employers and ask what the job requirements are. Then you can decide whether a science degree, a forensic science degree, a masters or a PhD would be best. Also check salaries and decide whether they are sufficient, and be prepared for a lot of competition.

Hi! I was wondering something about timing. Say a kidnapping takes place in a hotel room. How long is the room cordoned off? At what point is the evidence collected and taken away? When can the room be let again? (Working on a novel!)

Asked by Nico over 6 years ago

We’ll hold the scene as long as we need to get everything done, and that could be a day or two or three, but for a kidnapping it probably wouldn’t be more than a day, just enough to collect all the victim’s stuff, and collect fingerprints, hairs, fibers, anything that might belong to the kidnapper. We eventually get tired and want to go home (though we can go and come back, so long as it hasn’t been ‘released’) and the police department don’t really want to hold it longer then absolutely necessary, because they have a cop or two sitting there doing nothing but guarding the scene, and it takes them off the road. Hope that helps!