How are tool marks collected and analyzed in CSI?

How are tool marks collected and analyzed in CSI?

Richard Saferstein (Former Chief Forensic Scientist) gives expert video advice on: What are 'impressions' that are studied in CSI?; How does the study of tool marks help in CSI?; How are tool marks collected and analyzed in CSI? and more...

That will depend on the location of the tool mark. What's best is to take the tool mark, in its entirety, back to the crime lab in its native state. However, often that can't be done. You can't remove windows and doors for that in any type of crime scenes. An impression will be made at such a crime scene, usually with silicon putty, and then the silicon putty impression will then be brought back to the crime laboratory for further analysis.