There’s a lot that can be taken from the statistics released Wednesday by VOICES for Alabama’s Children. What we in Dallas County should take is an understanding of the obvious and a jubilation for the surprising.

First for the obvious.

It must be noted that among the 50 United States, Alabama ranks 48th in this study that measures the welfare of our children. With that poor ranking, most of Alabama’s 67 counties did not fare well.

Dallas County is included in that list of counties that has struggled in certain categories. The most devastating statistic centers around our youth and their appearance in courtrooms. According to the study, Dallas County ranks dead last in “juvenile violent crime court referral rate.”

In other words, Dallas County has the worst statistical average of young people who have appeared in court for homicide, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault or simple assault.

That statistic should surprise no one. The level of crime in this community, as many have noted, is high.

What we must take from that number is not how reckless our children have become; but rather we must realize our children watch adults and they learn from them. As our adult population carries out violent crimes, certainly we know our young people will follow suit.

That’s the worst of the worst, though. In other categories, Dallas County struggles just like the state of Alabama struggles.

In other categories, however, Dallas County has emerged as one of the leaders in Alabama.

Among all 67 states, Dallas County ranks 11th in “projected dropout rate.” In other words, trends indicate fewer and fewer young people are dropping out of school.

Along the same lines, we rank 13th in actual dropout rates, which correlates with the above statistic.

More positive indicators include our infant mortality rate, ranked in the middle of the state; our preventable teen death rate, ranked in the top third; and the indication of child abuse or neglect, ranked 14th in the state.

It’s impossible to point fingers at all the people who deserve credit for this areas where Dallas County has improved. It’s not impossible to encourage parents and adults to continue their involvement in the lives of young people.

No matter how the bread is sliced, it always comes down to adults and their infatuation with making the next generation better.