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 would like to know if an autopsy conducted on a woman buried in dry soil for three years
could determine if she had an abortion, being the cause of her death.
Thank you
Karen

Asked by karen_west@bigpond.com over 4 years ago

That’s a good question…I know that the human body will either decompose or desiccate, so if the conditions were right and she dried out instead of breaking down, then the body might be largely preserved. But what could be determined from an autopsy would be a question for a pathologist, I’m afraid. Sorry I’m not more help.

Are there any famous cases in history that involved thin layer chromatography (TLC) that you are aware of? Or any interesting facts many would not know?

Asked by Mike about 5 years ago

I”m sorry but I”ve never used thin layer chromatography. If I had, it most likely would have been to distinguish extracted fiber dyes. As far as I know it’s the only way to determine if natural fibers likely had the same source.

What level math do you actually need and use?

Asked by Elizabeth G. over 5 years ago

It depends on what you want to do. I've always used only basic addition, division etc., for calculating reagents. Accident reconstruction would probably require a bit more and maybe DNA analysis, but I don't really know. Best of luck!

I mean a sworn police officer sorry for not being specific

Asked by Terry over 5 years ago

As far as the job is concerned, I would think the odds of getting the job would be the same, but there are other considerations. The pay and benefits are different (at least at my agency) between sworn and civilian because they’re different unions. A sworn officer would be taking less pay and benefits to be non-sworn so the hiring party might wonder why, or worry that they would get tired of it and want to leave.

Biggest pet peeve out of co workers? I also heard working at police and sherif departments your lunch is always stolen is this true?

Asked by Mike almost 6 years ago

That's never happened to me at the police department, but then there's only my forensic unit with access to our refrigerator so it's not a problem. But it used to happen in the lunch room at the coroner's office all the time! I injected candy with hot sauce once. That stopped it for about a week.

I want to be a forensic scientist, but I wanted to know do you need to carry a gun

Asked by Anna almost 6 years ago

Some law enforcement agencies still require their forensic staff to be sworn police officers as well, but most have civilian staff for the forensic support. I have always been a civilian and therefore cannot carry a gun.

I hear from local cops. I hear the FBI is idiots and the US Marshals are a bunch of red necks and fire fighters are not tough. I think this is rude and it’s not nice to stereo type everyone from a agency. Why is this done and do you agree do you hear any of that or noticed any of that

Asked by Jake over 5 years ago

Every group of people looks for reasons to feel superior to any other group of people. It's (a not very attractive part of) human nature. But in my experience interagency rivalries have been super mild. It's more a trope of fiction than reality.