Letter of the Day (June 26): Inmate death

The death of a Minnesota inmate under the care of a for-profit medical contractor is disturbing, disgusting and sadly unsurprising ("Prisoner dies after denial of care," June 25). One of the dubious legacies of our times is the blind faith that private-sector, free-enterprise systems can be applied to core responsibilities of government. If the state has the power to incarcerate people, it has the equal responsibility to ensure their safety. This responsibility should not be contracted out to a private company whose prime motivation is to make a profit.

CLIFFORD ROBINSON, BROOKLYN PARK