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

what work experience is recommended ?

Asked by kenia over 8 years ago

Any kind of lab work, lab courses or internships in laboratories or with the criminal justice system.

What's the most stressful part of being a Forensic scientist?

Asked by Sam over 8 years ago

Being 'on call' and knowing you can be interrupted at any moment of the day and have to go to a crime scene, even if it's the middle of the night or a holiday. Having to get up once or twice during the night after working 10-12 hours and knowing you have to work those hours for another day or two is pretty disheartening. I've also had to change vacations because I have to testify in a trial. I hate that. 

If we report a script that was stolen please tell me they'll finger print the bottle or is it not considered that important

Asked by Shannon McTighe over 8 years ago

They might. I couldn't say for sure one way or the other.

What is the first thing a forensic team does when they reach the crime scene in this case homicide?

Asked by marge white almost 8 years ago

Get everybody out of it, and then take pictures.

Would taking Chemistry, Biology, Maths and Criminology for A levels be a good start for this job or should I opt for a different option?

Asked by Katrina almost 8 years ago

I think those sound like fabulous courses for this field.

If a person died from a bullet wound within an hour and his eyes are open and he was shot 24 more times will his eyes stay open or would they shut from muscle contractions. If alive with 1 shot, then shot 24 times will eyes be open or shut

Asked by Ggrreenn over 8 years ago

I have no idea. It could be either. It doesn't matter how many times they were shot. As far as I know it would only matter if their eyes were open or not at the moment they died, not what happened before or after they died.

How do you use chemistry in your job as a forensic scientist?

Asked by Kayla Fitzgerald almost 8 years ago

I use it the way you use your computer without writing code. I have chemicals that I use to process for prints, but we just purchase them. There are a few reagents we mix ourselves. At the coroners office we mixed almost all ourselves. A toxicologist, on the other hand, would use it every day.