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

What do you think is the most essential invention in forensic science for solving crimes?

Asked by Danielle about 9 years ago

1) The camera.2) Fingerprint science. 3) DNA analysis.

Do you plan on trying to get a job in another field of forensics in the future?

Asked by Renee almost 10 years ago

No, I'm happy where I am.

Girl claims rape, boy says didn't happen. DNA came back inconclusive from rape kit except something in girls underwear they say is boys. How is that possible when nothing was discovered on girls body of boys, anywhere?

Asked by Momma about 9 years ago

Because human bodies are in constant flux. Cells slough off, fluids wash out other fluids, but a stain on a piece of cloth doesn't change.

Can a forensic anthropologist tell from skeletal cremains if the individual had been sexually assaulted?

Asked by Avialane almost 9 years ago

I don't know. I wouldn't think so, but that's really not my area.

When examining a fingerprint, do you lift the print first then swab for DNA?

Asked by Renee almost 10 years ago

That's always a good question. Black powder or superglue will not ruin the DNA, so we can photograph the print and then swab for DNA. Usually we're swabbing areas that we wouldn't normally be able to get a print from (like textured steering wheels or rough gun grips or the edge of a plastic bottle that someone drank from) so we do one or the other.

If I would like to work as a Forensic Scientist, how many years will it takes me and in what am i going to study?

Asked by Ally almost 10 years ago

That depends entirely on where you want to work and what they require. At the coroner's office they required a bachelor's degree in one of the natural sciences like biology or chemistry. Where I work now, they only require a high school diploma, but give extra points in the interviewing process for higher education so we all have at least a bachelor's. If you want to do DNA work in a laboratory they will probably want you to have a master's or PhD in genetics. If you want to do crime scene work they might want an associate's or bachelor's in forensic science. So there is no one simple answer to that question.

if you find dog hair at a crime scene, is it possible to tell what kind of dog it came from?

Asked by dani almost 9 years ago

Yes, if you could find a microscopic hair analyst with a library of dog breed hairs, they could narrow the breed down. And if you got a DNA sample from the actual dog then DNA analysis could tie it to that specific dog.