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.
They used to do that in serology, taking threads soaked in the blood and putting them in tiny pools of blood type reagents. I don’t know exactly what the reagents were, sorry, that had never been part of my duties. But if you research old serological techniques you should find it.
Best of luck!
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Sorry it took me so long to reply! I applied after I got the degree. THat’s kind of odd that they would tell you to apply—does the position require a degree? It couldn’t hurt to contact them for more information and make it clear you won’t have your degree until May and would need to finish your schooling as well. But jobs aren’t easy to come by, so if they’re that interested. In you , you might as well find out more. Best of luck!
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Probably everyone gets interested in the field because it looked interesting in a TV show. But by the time you’re sufficiently trained to actually get a job, you’d know that it’s not like TV.
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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.
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Well it's worth a try. However, you should be aware that bite marks are not usually accepted as reliable evidence in court any more.
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We don’t have music in the whole department but many of us will listen to it at our desks or on earbuds. I have very eclectic tastes so I have everything from Broadway to ragtime to pop on my phone. But if I’m doing super routine things I’m usually listening to a book or podcast.
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Our police officers do, but I'm a civilian forensic specialist, so I didn't. (I also don't carry a gun, don't interview or arrest people and make a lot less money.)
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