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

I bought a pair of buckskin-colored work gloves and just after one day of warring the gloves for work I put them away. Twenty years later would my DNA still be detected from inside of the pair of gloves

Asked by Hank Saxena almost 7 years ago

Possibly, I suppose. If they were swabbed thoroughly and the swabs picked up a few skin cells, then it would be within the realm of possibility.

Can you visit and read this and possibly help me?

https://ogburn.brainhoney.com/Frame/Component/CoursePlayer?enrollmentid=95998597

Asked by Al over 7 years ago

Sorry, the link just took me to the sign-in page.

Do you think physical evidence has increased in importance over the last several decades, with advancements in technology and testing procedures? Why or why not?

Asked by Ar over 7 years ago

Physical evidence was always extremely important. What has changed with technology is what types of evidence are more commonly examined. It used to be hairs and pollen and now it's touch DNA and cell phones.

If you were looking to find the amounts of lead in paints, would it be better to analyze liquid paint or paint chips?

Asked by NJ210 about 7 years ago

I used to analyze dried paint with an FTIR, which I believe would detect lead, but as to what would be better I really don’t know. Sorry I can’t be more help.

Have you ever been emotional with the cases you have worked on?

Asked by Denise_ot5 about 7 years ago

Once in a great while something will catch me when I’m not expecting it. But very rarely.

Where you ever shocked by a crime scene?

Asked by Denise_ot5 about 7 years ago

They’re all shocking, in their way, But there hasn’t been one in particular that bowled me over.

How long will latent prints last when ninhydrin is used?

Asked by Krissy over 6 years ago

I'm not sure what you mean: a) how long after a print is left will ninhydrin still detect it, in which case I can say from my own experiment that there's little rhyme or reason to this, sometimes older prints develop better than newer ones or vice versa, or b) how long does a print developed with ninhydrin last, and the answer to that is that ninhydrin is a dark purple dye, so it is permanent, though it will continue to develop so that the entire page may eventually turn purple so we use a fixative chemical on the now-visible print so that will stop the ninhydrin from darkening the paper further. I hope that helps!