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.
Alas, I really don't know. I think it depends on many cirucumstances, the temperature, the pH and the humidity. I can tell you that covered corpses break down much more slowly than those exposed to air so there's a good chance, if the environment was somewhat cool and dry, that there would be a good amount of flesh left on the body. If the environment was hot and humid, it might be completely decomposed into inches of sludge. Hope that helps.
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I honestly have no idea. I don’ t think it would necessarily hurt you. What will be more important at hire is your training and experience—and it depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a DNA analyst you’ll probably need postgraduate degrees. If you want to do crime scene work you will need hands-on college courses and preferably an internship or two. If you want to do laboratory analysis then some sort of laboratory experience will be best. Is there a way you can present your travels as having increased your knowledge of forensics?
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We work 40 hours a week but one of us will be on call during the rest of the time, when no one is at work, 24/7/365.
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Bodies begin to deteriorate immediately, but the process might progress more slowly or less slowly depending on temperature, humidity, exposure or any medical conditions of the victim.
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Hairstylist and Makeup Artist
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Again, titles and job requirements aren't uniform, so the only way to know is to call the crime labs in your area or whereever you might be interested in working and ask them. At the coroner's office we had to have at least a bachelor's in a natural science (this was before they had forensic science majors). At the police department where I am now, they only require a high school diploma but you get more points in the interviewing process for having a four year degree, so we all have one. You can also go on the websites for professional organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and check out their job vacancy postings and see what the various positions require. Good luck.
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Automatic access to a national fingerprint database. Even though you see it on TV every day, it's not really possible for police departments. At best we are tied into the state database, but not any sort of national or international one, at least not without a lot of hoops.
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Well, they need to be complete and accurate, but otherwise the actual English used can be pretty basic. Happily we’re not graded on our composition skills!
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