The UK is a country that imprisons people from defending their homes against burglars while routinely turning burglars loose. The UK leads all "rich countries" in home invasions as a result.
Selling dodgy orchids on the grey market is not a particularly serious offense, but in the UK self-defense is a crime punishable by imprisonment.
Moreover, the statistics on impriosonment between the US and the UK are simply not comparable. While about 8 million, or 3%, of all US adults are under legal supervision (either in jail, on parole or on probation), more than half of that number consists of members of a sole ethnic group - a group that is 12% of the US population and 2% of the UK population.
You can not argue with the premise of the article.
In 1789 a thousand dollars was several years income for most people, now it is less than a month for minimum wage workers. Lest than a week for skilled workers. But a thousand dollars is still the cut off for a felony.
You can spend more time in jail for killing your neighbor's dog than you will for killing your neighbor.