le sort de les avoir fait naître

[Joseph Cronin]

Je crois que le nombre de criminels potentiels est grand et que beaucoup d'entre nous doivent remercier le sort de les avoir fait naître et vivre dans un milieu excluant la possibilité de l'acte catastrophique.

This is difficult for me. Are 'we' among the potential criminals or not?

If not maybe the following is okay.

Anything else I could improve?

I believe that the number of potential criminals is high and
that many of us are fortunate that these have been born and
raised in an environment excluding the possibility of an
appalling act.

[George Hunt]

It does seem confusing . The "les" in "le sort de les avoir fait naître"  seems to refer back  to  "beaucoup d'entre nous" and so I would change your translation to this:

"I believe that the number of potential criminals is high and
that many of us are fortunate that these  to have been born and
raised in an environment excluding the possibility of an
appalling act"

or, more literally  "I believe that the number of potential criminals is high and
that many should thank the  good fortune  to have been  born and
raised in an environment excluding the possibility of an
appalling act"

In the French "le sort" (fortune)  is used as the subject of  "faire naître " but I think we have to turn the expression around and  use a passive form here .(the good fortune to have been born)

Does that make sense? In any case my translation  seems to have a more logical meaning.

[Joseph Cronin]

That makes sense.

Thanks.

[Vedas]

Hello,

  in "de les avoir" "les" refers to "criminels potentiels":

many of us are fortunate because   thanks to fate/ the good fortune/ potential criminals were born in a nice environment.

I believe that the number of potential criminals is high and
that many should thank the  good fortune  that they were born and  have been 
raised in an environment excluding the possibility of an
appalling act"

[George Hunt]

Oh yes , you are right  I didn't see the alternative meaning.

(well it is the same as  Joseph first suggested but it seemed too convoluted for me at first  and not how I had previously encountered the idea)

[Joseph Cronin]

Thanks, Vedas.

I can go with that.