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.
Yes, quite possible. The breast bone blocked the bullet from hitting anything vital and so it wouldn't be fatal. We've had plenty of people shoot themselves in the head but the skull deflected the bullet enough that they either survived or had to fire a second shot.
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Yes, all the time. That's part of my job. But that will depend on what your job is, some people work only in the lab, and others work only at crime scenes.
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I'm sure document examiners could do this fairly easily but I don't know exactly how. I would guess that alternative light source (like infrared or ultraviolet spectrums) could show that there is no difference between the signature and the rest of the document. Or I believe thin-layer chromatography could show that the chemical makeup is the same. A Questioned Document Examiner could tell you much more.
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A good knowledge of chemistry is helpful to be able to understand why certain processes work the way they do. We use math to mix reagents and calculate angles in bloodstain pattern interpretation. Any knowledge can be helpful because we deal with every kind of person, job, situation, and object there is.
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Security / Bodyguard
Are you expected to take a bullet that's meant for someone you're guarding?
Border Patrol Agent
Do Mexican authorities help on THEIR side of the border?
Firefighter
What's the worst you've been burned in a fire?
Usually in forensic science or any kind of natural science. If you want to go to into drug testing or toxicology, major in chemistry. If you want to do DNA analysis, then biology or biochemistry.
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I'm sorry, I thought I answered this one. We work 40 hours per week, some of us are on four 10s and some on rotating 12 hour shifts. Each of us takes a turn on being 'on call' for overtime calls.
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I'm sorry but that can, and has, fill several textbooks. There's just no way for me to summarize it in a paragraph.
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