Fulton officials ponder new jail

There’s no question that Fulton County is in need of a new jail.  The current Rice Street facility, which opened in 1989, has been the target of intense scrutiny in recent years for its crumbling infrastructure, severe overcrowding, and numerous inmate deaths.  But talks of an upgrade gave some county officials sticker shock this week when a feasibility study found that a new jail would cost upwards of $1.75 billion.  The proposed facility, which would open in 2029, would have four times more beds than the current jail and include increased mental health services for inmates among other upgrades.  But with the county’s courts system still heavily backlogged and police department understaffed a hugely expanded jail with a massive price tag is DRIFTING…