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 work experience is recommended ?

Asked by kenia almost 8 years ago

Any kind of lab work, lab courses or internships in laboratories or with the criminal justice system.

What are the most common mistakes a killer/murderer that gets them caught?

Asked by bart white over 7 years ago

The vast, vast majority of people who kill people didn't plan to kill someone, so they often leave fingerprints, blood, witnesses, text messages, and then come up with some sort of story that sounded good in their head but wouldn't fool a 6 year old.

Before an autopsy is performed, must all the blood be removed from the body?

Asked by Richard Ferstandig about 7 years ago

No. Much blood will drain from all the cutting done during the autopsy, but no attempt is made to particularly remove it.

As a forensic scientist, do you use the diameter of blood splatters as clues to how the crime happened?

Asked by Rylee over 7 years ago

Yes, the arcsin of the width divided by the length of the stain will give you the angle of impact at which the blood struck the surface (usually a wall). The direction of the stains can be traced back to a point of convergence and from there the angles can be traced back to a distance from the wall, giving you the approximate point in space where the blow was struck.

3. List the five malware analysis techniques that can be used. Why do you think a Digital Forensics Investigator needs to be familiar with them?

Asked by ali mh almost 8 years ago

As I'm not trained in digital forensics, I'm afraid I wouldn't know. PS the purpose of this website is not really so that you can cut and paste your homework and get other people to do it for you.

If you smoked weed within the past few years of applying to be a tech in a crime lab, could you still get the job or is that a deal breaker?

Asked by Cayla over 7 years ago

It almost certainly would not be a deal-breaker. Just tell them the truth.

Can the fingerprints of a living person be taken off a dead human body, namely the skin of the corpse? If so, what are the easiest places for that?

Asked by R-Mod about 7 years ago

Yes. It's not common, but prints have been lifted using superglue or the more recent RTX. The best areas would be those that are smooth, clean and largely free of hair.