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

Do forensic scientist have to specialize into one field like serology, latent print, toxicology, etc. or can they be multidisciplinary in the sense that one day they work on entomology another they do blood spatter and so on?

Asked by Chicken Jr. over 7 years ago

see question above.

if you could choose, would you rather work in a lab or on a crime scene?

Asked by kenia over 7 years ago

I like doing both, because being in the lab all the time can get tedious, but being at crime scenes all the time can get exhausting.

I'm writing a short story and would like to know what a body would decompose like after being left unburied in a forest in January, heavy snowfall, and discovered in February? Thank you so much!

Asked by rose almost 7 years ago

I'm not an expert in that particular aspect, but I know from experience that it will make a big difference if the area was continuously frozen as opposed to freezing, then thawing, then freezing again and so on. If it was continuously frozen there might not be too much decomposition at all. If it freezes and thaws continuously then it could be quite decomposed, especially if its not covered with anything like dirt or even leaves. Plus under those circumcstances I would expect a lot more animal activity.

How do the forensic team transport the body without destroying any crucial evidence?

Asked by coraline medow about 7 years ago

Inside a fresh body bag that's zipped up.

Did you ever puke or feel funny on a certain case?

Asked by MarieAbend about 7 years ago

I got a little queasy at my very first autopsy, but since then, no.

whats a typical day in the life of a forensic scientist?

Asked by kenia over 7 years ago

When I was at the coroner's office, a typical day would be examining victim's clothing from a homicide or suicide, typing blood samples and testing gunshot residue samples. Now at the police department, a typical day is spent in front of the computer putting in latent prints that the officers or I have lifted from items and searching for a match, or checking past searches of new people put in the system. Then I might go out to process a burglary scene.

As a Forensic Scientist, are you legally exempt from being a Juror?

Asked by Ahmed Jordan Ezz Jr. over 7 years ago

This may vary by county or state, but I am not because I'm a civilian employee and not a sworn officer.