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.
My guess is it depends on what you want to do. If you want to work in a lab, then biology for DNA or trace evidence or chemistry for toxicology would be the way to go. If you want to work in the field, mostly at the crime scene, then you might want the more general forensic science. Go on the websites of agencies and professional organizations, look at their vacancy postings, and see what they ask for. Best of luck!
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I’m sorry but I have no idea. that would be the detective’s job, not mine.
Best of luck!
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Before I worked in forensics, I was a personnel secretary, a hotel maid, and an ice cream counter server and a gas station 'full service specialist'. My husband is an elevator field engineer. There is 'politics' in every profession. Every. Single. One.
Best of luck!
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I don't see why not, it's rigid and would hold a shape. It's a very small item and somewhat brittle, though. I would think it would be tough to bite all the way through one. You'd probably be better off swabbing it for DNA of the biter.
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Titles and job requirements aren't uniform, so the only way to know is to call the crime labs in your area or whereever you might be interested in working and ask them. At the coroner's office we had to have at least a bachelor's in a natural science (this was before they had forensic science majors). At the police department where I am now, they only require a high school diploma but you get more points in the interviewing process for having a four year degree, so we all have one. You can also go on the websites for professional organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and check out their job vacancy postings and see what the various positions require. As for determining which area, I would suggest you visit crime labs in the area to see what they do and talk to the people working there. Good luck!
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I don’t know what you mean by pure math. Most crime scene work, fingerprints, tool marks, serology, might need regular adding and subtracting, but I don’t know of any field that uses calculus or algebra. DNA analysis uses a lot of statistics and ballistics and traffic accident investigation might use physics and geometry. But those are the only examples I can think of.
Best of luck!
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