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

How long would it take you to analyze evidence?

Asked by Denise_ot5 over 5 years ago

That completely depends on what kind of evidence and what analysis we’re doing.

What are the weirdest or odd things in crime scene that you've ever encounter?

Asked by KennyV about 6 years ago

Huh...that's a tough question. Nothing really stands out...everything is a little weird in some ways but not incredibly so. Perhaps the most unusual thing I ever had to examine was a safety harness from a window washer who fell 38 floors. Mostly I'm just amazed at the way people live, and the things people do to their houses. (And what they think looks good in terms of decor.)The most fun thing we had, at a homicide scene, was the homeless victim's cat with her litter of small kittens. That rivaled the litter of puppies who had a temporary bed in the master bath jacuzzi tub of a grow house.

Can a child who is allegedly punched several times by an adult. Get a bump and not bruise? and do bruises typically take 2 weeks to fade. Why 6 days later am I not seeing even a faded yellow mark. I am so confused!!!

Asked by Katie Strange almost 6 years ago

I don't know exactly, but I know from personal experience that bruises are strange and unpredictable. I can bump into something terribly hard and have no mark, and then have a huge bruise from some injury I only very vaguely remember. I also don't know exactly how long they take to fade, and that might also be affected by how deep they were in the first place or the physical condition of the person. Sorry I can't be more help.

Hello. I am a senior in high school that must do an interview for a career. I was wondering if I could interview you. My email is brimattia661@gmail.com . Thank you.

Asked by Brianne almost 6 years ago

I'll email you.

I just graduated with a bachelors in Forensics and I have an interview at a crime lab next week, what can I expect? Will they want to see my transcripts.

Asked by FORENSIC almost 6 years ago

I’ve never had someone ask for transcripts at an interview, and I think it would be a little unreasonable for them to expect you to have them with you without warning.It will be generally like any other interview. When they ask what experience you have in forensics be sure to mention specific tests and techniques you’ve done, like superglue, crime scene reconstruction, the AFIS system, etc.

Could it be determined that bones found might be 200 years old? Would DNA be found in bones 200 years old? How long does it take to get DNA results back? Are news releases required when remains are found? Do news reporters come around routinely?

Asked by Arleen Anderson about 6 years ago

1. Probably not in a forensics lab. I'm guessing that would require carbon dating; an archaeologist would know much more than I would. 2. Possibly.3. Depends on the backlog at the lab (could be weeks, could be many months) and how much you're willing to pay for rush work at a private lab.4. I'm not sure news releases are ever required for anything, unless there's some sort of imminent threat to the public. Sorry but I actually don't know how our public information officer decides when to issue a release or not. 5. News reporters usually come to the scene of a crime or accident when they see something going on, but it depends on how busy they are, who they can spare to go to the scene, and whether they guess this will be a useful story to them. It's entirely up to them. We have a public information officer that they can always contact to get any release-able information.

how can you tell how long someone has been dead if they have been formaldehyde/ formalin poisoned?

Asked by Student about 6 years ago

You'd have to ask a pathologist, but I believe that drinking (I assume) formalin and dying of poison would not preserve the body as it would if someone was embalmed with formalin/formaldehyde. So the indicators for time of death would be the same as with any other death. But I don't know that for sure. Best of luck!