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.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

989 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

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 almost 8 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 accurate is measuring the age of human bones , particularly after 30 years of age how less accurate percentage wise per decade after 30 years of age?

Asked by andy almost 7 years ago

I'm sorry but I also can't answer that question. You'd have to ask an anthropologist.

What is your least favorite part of your job?

Asked by Hily over 7 years ago

Being on call and having to leave dinner or get up in the middle of the night to go to a crime scene. And having to schedule vacations and events around whether I can get someone else to cover my call for me.

Hi! I'm writing a research paper and wanted to know....What kind of specialized language do you use to communicate with other in your field? Doctors use things like "code blue", do you guys have something like that when you'r talking about case?

Asked by Des about 7 years ago

We don't have any particular code words so that only we know what we're talking about. Police departments have all sorts of codes for types of crime--such as, where I live, a signal 23 is a burglary. Signal 4 is a traffic accident. 10-8 means you're on duty and available. 10-6 means you're on duty but busy. If we're somewhere, like a crime scene, and we don't want other people to overhear us we're just careful to move away and out of earshot. Hope that helps!

What does it mean if a cadaver had "abundant amount of mud on the hands," if the body was in the water for two weeks and it was swift water for days?

Asked by Lina N Lete over 7 years ago

‘Abundant’ probably just means the hands were smeared with mud on some parts, not that they had clumps of mud in them. Why it would be on the hands after being in water—some possible reasons might be that the body got hung up in muddy shallows and that’s why it was found, or it was dragged over muddy areas when pulled from the water. As I don’t have any picture of where it was or how it was recovered, that’s my best guess.

If someone takes their own life by hanging is it common for it to be a double knot?

Asked by Kim almost 8 years ago

There’s a wide variety of knots as people tend to use whatever they think will work.

I hope that helps.

sorry I also have another question, Should I continue with graduate school in the same forensic field or should I expand?
Thank you!

Asked by Kimmi about 7 years ago

That depends entirely on what in the field of forensic science you want to do. The best way is to call some of the places you’d like to work as ask what their requirements would be, because they can vary all over the country. Smaller labs will want you to cross train.Larger ones might want you to specialize.

Good luck!!