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 you visit and read this and possibly help me?

https://ogburn.brainhoney.com/Frame/Component/CoursePlayer?enrollmentid=95998597

Asked by Al over 7 years ago

Sorry, the link just took me to the sign-in page.

Are you able to tell if a person was unconscious just before death after examining the body? For example if someone hit their head and knocked themselves unconscious before they actually died?

Asked by TS about 7 years ago

I don't believe so (in fact I believe I address this question during an autopsy scene in my book Perish) but you'd have to ask a pathologist. Sorry I can't help.

What are the physical and chemical properties of blood, hair, footprints?

Asked by Abby over 7 years ago

That's an awfully broad question. What do you think are the physical and chemical properties? Blood has hemoglobin. Hair grows out of your head. Footprints are impressions in the dirt. I'm pretty sure you could write a good answer to this question yourself.

I bought a pair of buckskin-colored work gloves and just after one day of warring the gloves for work I put them away. Twenty years later would my DNA still be detected from inside of the pair of gloves

Asked by Hank Saxena over 6 years ago

Possibly, I suppose. If they were swabbed thoroughly and the swabs picked up a few skin cells, then it would be within the realm of possibility.

Do you think Roger Stone is guilty or innocent or unsure?

Asked by JW almost 6 years ago

Who’s Roger Stone?

Does this job ever depress, upset, disgust, or cause you anxiety? Does this job ever make your life a living hell?

Asked by Cillian over 6 years ago

No. Like any job it can be tiring and tedious at points, but the only time it makes me anxious is always due to bureaucratic issues, which, again, you’re going to have in any job.

How stressful can working as a forensics scientist be?

Asked by Denisse Parada about 7 years ago

That all depends on where you work, what the caseload is, and what your job duties are. If you work someplace with a huge backlog and more work than you have personnel for, it could be stressful. When I was at the coroner’s office it was exhausting, we had a ton of work, not much staff, were underpaid, and my boss was a little crazy, but i loved it so much I didn’t care. At the police department now we have just enough people to manage the work, so even though it gets busy at times we stay on a pretty even keel. Good supervisory management is key (in any field). Best of luck!