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.
There are numerous techniques for obtaining fingerprints from surfaces--black powders, colored powders, alternate light, superglue, dye staining. Once you can visualize the print, comparing one to another is done by noting all the information (where ridges end, divide, form a dot, have a scar, etc.) in one pattern and comparing it to another print's pattern. This can be done by a computer so that thousands to millions of prints can be searched quickly, all day, every day, all over the world, but is always confirmed by human beings. Despite what you see on TV!
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I'm sorry but I have no idea. You'll have to ask the lab. I'd love to know myself--I'd also love to know why your ex drugged his own drink and then paid to have a lab analyze it.
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No. There are cases and victims that I feel sorrier for than others, but nothing reaching the level that I would call emotionally involved. Everything is over by the time I get there, and then I don't usually see the victims or other parties again so there isn't an opportunity to bond.
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a) I work at a police department. We have a small lab with equipment for processing for fingerprints and the rest of the office is regular office stuff--desks, computers, supply cabinet, coffee machine.We work mostly days, with someone on call tonight. b) Both. I work on my own for most call-outs and working on pieces of evidence, but for larger cases then we work as a team. c) Both, again. We have a lab but I probably spend only 5-10% of my time, on average, in there.
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I would think that would become obvious at the autopsy. If the victim is not dead, say missing, then that information would most likely come to light when they talk to the victim's doctor or family members.
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