County Attorney Charles Hanson has been making the rounds of area schools with an important educational message. Sexting is is a bad idea. It is illegal. It can lead to consequences down the road that can ruin your life.

It’s the kind of message that should be self-evident, but one that is needed. Young people often lack the experience, the knowledge and judgment to make a good decision in some matters, and what can seem like a prank or a private communication can turn into something far more serious.

About a quarter of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have received a sext (which can include lewd or suggestive writing or suggestions as well as pictures), and about 15 percent have sent one.

It is good of Hanson to that the time to present this kind of information to young people, to head off problems before he has to deal with them in a more serious legal setting.