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

Thanks for your quick response.

Besides black powder, do I need to use a special type of brush and/or lighting such as a UV light to uncover gloveprints?

I should add that the color of the Nitrile gloves I am trying to obtain prints from are blue.

Asked by Richard Gray over 5 years ago

No, just a regular brush, and UV light, as far as anyone here knows, wouldn’t make any difference. The gloves will, however, leave more traces the longer they are worn.

Do you wear a white suit? If so why or why not? What is really the point?

Asked by Benny over 5 years ago

Do you mean a Tyvek suit? To prevent cross contamination? We have whole body suits but have not yet had a scene that required them. We will wear disposable booties and of course gloves for any homicide scene. Sometimes the point, as with fentanyl and COVID risks, is to protect ourselves, and sometime the point is protect the scene and keep from dragging trace evidence from outside the scene to inside the scene.

Is blood soaked evidence washed after testing? For example a leather glove. Would it just be dried out and kept like that or do they clean the blood off.

Asked by bailey about 5 years ago

No, nothing is cleaned. It’s just dried and then kept as is. For one thing you might want to do more testing in the future so you’d never want to wash your evidence away.

What do you think about the BLM?

Asked by Kaylee over 5 years ago

I think I am an expert in some areas of forensic science. I am not an expert in law, public safety policy or our political system.

If a dad commits suicide while his son is in the passenger seat, is the manner of death for the son considered as homicide? or accident?

Asked by Ritchelle about 5 years ago

If the father caused the death of the son, then it's homicide. If he didn't know the son was there, it's accident (or maybe manslaughter, I don't know the precise legalities).

Haha what if some of your old co workers see your post LAMO that’s too funny

Asked by Mike over 5 years ago



Oh you kinda look like her though

Asked by Tim over 5 years ago

Thanks!