(a) The inmate may consent to an immediate examination of the enclosure by staff who issues mail. Such examination will be limited to the extent necessary to determine if the enclosure may be safely admitted into the facility under the standards of Penal Code Section 2601. The conclusion of the examiner will be written on the enclosure, and be dated and signed by the examiner. If the enclosure can be safely admitted into the facility, it will be given to the inmate. If in the examiner's opinion the enclosure does not meet the standards of Penal Code Section 2601 and cannot be safely admitted into the facility, it will be referred to staff at not less than the Correctional/Facility Captain level, for final determination. If not released to the inmate at this level, the inmate will be allowed access to the enclosure only as authorized in subsection (b).

(b) The inmate may decline to consent to examination of enclosures in confidential mail by any staff. When this occurs, the enclosure will be immediately placed in a separate envelope and the envelope will be sealed in the presence of the inmate. The separate envelope will, at the inmate's choosing, be returned to the sender with the mailing cost charged to the inmate's trust account, or disposed of pursuant to section 3191(c). The inmate is entitled to keep the letter or correspondence and the envelope it came in.

(c) Any person who examines the content of mail under the authority of this article or in connection with an appeal by an inmate of a ruling under this article, must keep the content of the material which was examined in strict confidence. No original, copy, excerpt, or summary of personal correspondence to or from an inmate shall be made or be placed in an inmate's C-file unless such correspondence is or has been the subject of: