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

If a glass door is slammed what side does the glass fall on

Asked by Dave over 10 years ago

I have no idea. If a piece of glass is shot or hit with something, most of the glass should move in the direction of the force with some flying back toward the source. But I would think the entire piece is vibrating with a slammed door, so I really have no idea. 

Hi! I was wondering, what is your favorite type of evidence to analyze?

Asked by Daisy76 about 9 years ago

Clothing is kind of interesting because there's so much variety to it and it can give you a lot of information, with blood, gunshot residue and holes made by weapons. I also enjoyed working with fibers because there is a lot of variety to them as well, and they're colorful, but often I'd have way too many and then it would get tedious. No one examines fibers any more, they're not unique enough.

If a vehicle is submerged in non clean lake for 3 weeks with windows open. Can police detect fingerprints

Asked by Jinu18 over 10 years ago

Possibly. Probably unlikely, but possibly. We would use Small Particle Reagent on a wet car as soon as it was removed from the lake.

I am currently in a relationship with a man that was convicted of a felony about 4 years ago. How does this affect me as a forensics student?

Asked by Rachael about 10 years ago

As far as I know, it doesn't. As long as YOU weren't convicted of a felony.

how typical is it to take a year or more for forensic results to be turned over to a DA? What can those waiting assume from the long wait.

Asked by Bob over 10 years ago

Repeat, see above. 

Hey an ak47 assault rifle fired at close range, what are the possibilities of no blood spatter.

Asked by Jay almost 10 years ago

How many shots and do they exit the body?

how typical is it to take a year or more for forensic results to be turned over to a DA? What can those waiting assume from the long wait.

Asked by tiredofwaiting over 10 years ago

How long it takes to get DNA results depends entirely on where you are sending them and how backed up they are. Our state lab used to take at least 6 months, but things have improved and now it is only a few months. However if we have a homicide that really needs quicker answers, sometimes they can do that. If the police department or state attorney's office are willing to pay (probably at least a grand. sometimes per sample) the samples can be sent to a private lab that can get results in as little as three days. It's expensive, but it also has to be a lab that is accredited and that the agencies trust. You can't assume anything from a long wait other than that the lab is backed up. They might have an overwhelming amount of cases, they might not have enough manpower, or they might not be efficiently run. It's impossible to guess.