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 I need a bachelor's degree in both forensic science and Biology to become a forensic biologist, because many universities i like don't offer forensics, so i'd have to take forensics at a 2 year college and some website say i need bachelors in both

Asked by Ailyn about 8 years ago

That depends on what agencies mean by the title 'forensic biologist' and what your job duties would be. The only way to know that is to contact them and ask. You can also check websites of forensic organizations such as American Academy and the International Association for Identification and look at their job postings. That will give you an idea of requirements for different positions.

Can cigarette remains (Butts, partially smoked, etc.) be used to identify time in forensic investigation? (ex: Staleness)

Asked by Wolf - Research for Novel almost 8 years ago

Not as far as I know. I think that would be too difficult because even if you could assess staleness, you wouldn't know how fast the person smokes a pack, therefore how long the pack had been open, how it had been stored, etc.

So I am going to get my associates degree (and a forensic certification), is that enough to get a job working for a forensic police department?

Asked by Geo almost 8 years ago

I have no idea. You'll have to ask the agency to which you are applying. They may all have different requirements.

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

Asked by kenia about 8 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.

After graduation, what do you advice future forensic scientists to do and expect when getting a job in this field?

Asked by kwony123 over 7 years ago

It’s not easy to get a job in this field—there’s a lot of competition and staffs are not as large as you might think. The best thing you can do, after graduation if not before, is get an internship somewhere to get some practical experience and meet people. It will also help if you’re willing to relocate.

Could I ask you some questions for a school project?

Asked by ssosiak1 over 7 years ago

Sure, email me at Lisa-Black@live.com

Is there any printed literature or old case dockets I can reference that directly says examiners can distinguish between prints left by bare hands and those wearing gloves, or is this just common knowledge?

Asked by Kayla lions almost 8 years ago

The only areas of the body with friction ridges are the palms and fingers of the hand and the soles of the feet. They could not possibly be found on gloves. I don't know if there's a paper that states that...it's kind of like finding research to say that an apple is not an Orange. However if you search 'identifying glove prints ' you could probably find what you need. Best of luck.