"Intellectual Property" is a made-up term that creates confusion (as in this case), muddying the issue and eliminating the necessary distinctions between the actual concepts covered by the term.
You do not completely use it on their terms. Copyright, Patent and Trademark are balances between the limited granted (not natural) rights of the creator and the public. You can only equate them to regular property if you also consider that the law establishes an easement for the entire population.
Out of all the patents filed
An example of the problem: this is about copyright, not patent. They are covered by very different laws.
I believe the changes in the law are recommended because the old laws were not working People/companies were still brazenly stealing other peoples ideas. Faced with jail time people might think twice. IMHO
That's not how copyright was supposed to work. It was supposed to be a civil case between you and the person who infringed on your rights (remember, there is no "theft," only infringement). Criminal penalties are a recent invention. The consequences of such infringement are already quite high, $150,000 per case, enough to ruin most anybody.
*applauds*