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

Would you be able to tell the difference between hair that was taken from a victim's brush (and planted at a crime scene) and hair that just naturally malted? For example, would hair from a hairbrush have more of a root than a malted hair??

Asked by Caroline over 9 years ago

I don't know what malted means, but I suspect the answer is no. Just brushing hair can pull it out just as in a struggle.

What do you like best about this job

Asked by Angel almost 10 years ago

All the interesting, different, bizarre stories that make up the crimes that have happened that we have to investigate. 

Are you required to be a police officer before becoming a forensic scientist? Also do you know of any jobs in forensics or any crime scene jobs in general that don't require being a police officer first?

Asked by Allie over 9 years ago

Many if not most crime scene and forensic work job are now civilian, which means you don't need to become a police officer and are not trained at the police academy, etc. Some agencies do have their forensic staff become sworn officers, so the only way to know is to ask. I've worked in forensics for over 20 years now and I've never been a police officer.

if dna or other evidence could be reproduced by a 3d printer how would this effect forensic

Asked by viorgateway about 10 years ago

I'm afraid I don't know enough about how 3-D printing works to be able to answer. I can guess that it might be handy for reconstructing items such as shoeprints and tire tracks from photos or scans. Other than that I don't see where making a copy of something would necessarily affect a crime. And as far as I know they haven't reached the point of replicating on a cellular level such as DNA.

1. What is your past education?
2. What is your salary?
3. Craziest crime scene you helped solve?
4. What were some requirements asked of you for this job?
5. How long have you been doing this?
6. How many years of school did you do?

Asked by Kendall G. Koffler over 9 years ago

School project?Email me at Lisa-black@live.com and I'll send you answers I've accumulated.

Thanks again! So scattering hair over a crime scene would not cover the more commonly found searched for nuclear DNA? meaning the criminals in the movie (Charles town) arn't achieving much protection at all?

Asked by lisa fan almost 10 years ago

It could help if it's pulled hair, not cut, and if they were super-careful to leave no fingerprints or any other kind of possible DNA samples so that the police had no choice but to test the hairs for possible suspect DNA. It would also depend on the scene--if it's a heavily traveled bank, for instance, so there is a ton of discarded hairs, the police would hardly test them all. If they leave a tuft of hair on say, a chain-link fence used to get away, where the police couldn't help but notice it, then they'd have a better chance of making it a useful diversion.

Do you ever get to go to a crime scene?

Asked by Emily over 9 years ago

Yes, all the time. That's part of my job. But that will depend on what your job is, some people work only in the lab, and others work only at crime scenes.