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.
I do not work at a coroner’s/medical examiner so I don’t cut anyone. At a crime scene I might examine the eyes or test the limbs for rigor or look for injuries but that’ s about it.
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I think I am an expert in some areas of forensic science. I am not an expert in law, public safety policy or our political system.
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"Touch" DNA or "Contact DNA" can obtain a profile from an item that someone merely touched: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_DNA
I would say Rapid DNA, which can provide a profile in less than two hours and used in the battlefield, but that's been around since 2014.
And though you've seen it on TV every day for 50 years, it has not been possible for the average latent print examiner to scan in a fingerprint and search every person who's ever been fingerprinted, including job applicants and military. Most databases would be just county or state wide, and may or may not include job applicants (or staff) depending on the preferences of the agency, and certainly not the military, ICE or Interpol. At my department we only got the ability to remotely search the FBI database last year.
Hope that helps!
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That's a good question, that I really can't answer. A pathologist would be much more knowledgeable on that topic. But from personal experience I can say that bruises are funny, and they change over time. It depends how deep the damage is and on the person's chemistry and I think it makes a big difference whether the muscles are tensed or not when hit. Sorry I can't help!
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Audiologist
How come people with hearing aids still can't seem to hear?
Hotel Front Desk Agent
Have you ever had a suicide occur in one of your rooms?
Day Care Provider
Do the kids ever reveal embarrassing things about their parents?
Either is good. It depends a bit on what you want to do. If you want to work crime scene, then general forensic science is probably good. If you want to go into toxicology, then chemistry, and if DNA, then biology or genetics.
Hope that helps.
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As far as the job is concerned, I would think the odds of getting the job would be the same, but there are other considerations. The pay and benefits are different (at least at my agency) between sworn and civilian because they’re different unions. A sworn officer would be taking less pay and benefits to be non-sworn so the hiring party might wonder why, or worry that they would get tired of it and want to leave.
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That's not something I have anything to do with--it's the detectives' and/or attorneys' decision. I supposed they think if they get results that are really surprising it can hint if they're looking at the right people or not.
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