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

Can a hair test that came back false positive for alcohol be retested by another lab?

Asked by Joe over 5 years ago

I don’t see why not. But I wasn’t aware hair could be tested for alcohol, I thought it was only drugs and heavy metals.

Oh, also how can you tell if someone makes a new account?

Asked by Sam about 5 years ago

I don’t know.

Hi! I was wondering something about timing. Say a kidnapping takes place in a hotel room. How long is the room cordoned off? At what point is the evidence collected and taken away? When can the room be let again? (Working on a novel!)

Asked by Nico over 5 years ago

We’ll hold the scene as long as we need to get everything done, and that could be a day or two or three, but for a kidnapping it probably wouldn’t be more than a day, just enough to collect all the victim’s stuff, and collect fingerprints, hairs, fibers, anything that might belong to the kidnapper. We eventually get tired and want to go home (though we can go and come back, so long as it hasn’t been ‘released’) and the police department don’t really want to hold it longer then absolutely necessary, because they have a cop or two sitting there doing nothing but guarding the scene, and it takes them off the road. Hope that helps!

Do you see yourself doing this job in the next ten years?

Asked by Trump 2020 MAGA KAG over 5 years ago

Yes.

Does a person have to have a strong stomach to do a job like yours?

Asked by Jerry about 5 years ago

It helps. But I know good homicide detectives who do it for years and still have a weak stomach and they do fine.

What do you think the worst thing you age ever seen in your job so far is?

Asked by Richard over 5 years ago

Probably a small plane crash. And one terrible case of elder neglect.

Can I ask you some questions for my novel? I need some things fact-checked. Probably too long to write on here.

Asked by Paula over 5 years ago

Sure! Email me at Lisa-black@live.com.