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.
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!
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Well it's worth a try. However, you should be aware that bite marks are not usually accepted as reliable evidence in court any more.
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We don’t have music in the whole department but many of us will listen to it at our desks or on earbuds. I have very eclectic tastes so I have everything from Broadway to ragtime to pop on my phone. But if I’m doing super routine things I’m usually listening to a book or podcast.
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I would think it would help because it would show some familiarity with law enforcement agency procedures. Even if you work for a completely civilian agency such as a medical examiner’s office, you would still be interacting with law enforcement constantly, so I would think it would help. Though even if you can carry a gun and badge in your everyday life, you probably wouldn’t be able to carry it on the job unless it was all right with your employer.
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Casino Marketer
What's the most unethical thing you've seen casinos do to "part you from your dollars?"
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Are you expected to take a bullet that's meant for someone you're guarding?
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What types of customers are the worst tippers?
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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Sorry, I can't click on unknown links. However, in general terms, I don't react to crime scenes, at least as much as possible. I need to treat each one objectively and consistently, so I'd conduct the same relevant duties as I would at any other crime scene--photo, sketch, collect evidence, etc. And I don't really 'solve' crimes--I provide the forensic support to help the detective solve the crime.
Hope that helps!
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Because that's not our job. That's the detective's job. They're in charge of and responsible for the investigation.
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