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 had crash some OLA 2.5 pills with olanzapine 10 mg tablets together and had kept it. Just few weeks back some police officers came to my house n found it. They tested it with forensic and it came back as heroin.
Please can you explain why

Asked by Malvin about 5 years ago

I’m sorry but I can’t. That’s a question for a toxicologist. I don’t know anything about drug chemistry.

Why do you delete so many questions?

Asked by Terry over 4 years ago

Why do you post questions that need to be deleted? Most people have better things to do.

Are you pretty much a unsworn detective? Do you do pretty much everything a detective does with the exception of arresting people or charging people?

Asked by Rae over 4 years ago

No. I do lots of stuff detectives don’t do, like lab analysis, scene reconstruction, latent print comparison, etc. And they do tons of stuff I don’t do, like track down victims/witnesses/suspects and interview them, run criminal histories, request search warrants, and so on. So our jobs are really very different. We are there to provide the forensic support for the case, but forensic topics are only part of any case. Hope that helps!

Can a fallen fake finger nail show bite mark?

Asked by Aj over 4 years ago

I don't see why not, it's rigid and would hold a shape. It's a very small item and somewhat brittle, though. I would think it would be tough to bite all the way through one. You'd probably be better off swabbing it for DNA of the biter.

Would a B.A. in physiology be an acceptable degree for pursuing a career in forensics?

Asked by Abigail over 4 years ago

Any agency can use whatever requirements they want, so some (like mine) require only a high school diploma (but give extra points for advanced degrees, so we all have degrees). Some might require a Bachelor’s in any subject but give more points for forensic training—or not. The only way to know is check their job postings. Best of luck!

What is something other scientists do as well as officers such as patrol and detectives that annoy you or even piss you plumb off

Asked by Johnathan over 4 years ago

Usually I'm annoyed most often by people asking for things to be done immediately while ignoring a) that we are working on more cases than just theirs, b) that some processes take time, and/or c) that what their asking for isn't going to prove anything for them anyway.

As for fellow scientists, the worst offenses are a) finding typos in my reports and b) taking the last piece of cheesecake out of the communal fridge.

I hear there is a lot of politics in police work is this true and why?

Asked by Bobbi sue about 5 years ago

Before I worked in forensics, I was a personnel secretary, a hotel maid, and an ice cream counter server and a gas station 'full service specialist'. My husband is an elevator field engineer. There is 'politics' in every profession. Every. Single. One.

Best of luck!