the main idea of the story is that we treat criminal that go to jail like nothing. also we don't see are selves as criminal because we don't get put in jail for it. this article also states that Michell Alexander when to different places  and said that she was a criminal. she said that '' they looked at me in a different  after i said that i was a criminal. In the article her evidence that we are all criminal by saying that'' did you ever smoke pot? did you ever underage drink? did you ever speed on the free way.'' what she is trying to say is if you ever did any of this stuff you are breaking the law. 


she also saying that we should not put people in ail that steal candy from the corner store or for j-walking.  i think she is right we should not put people in jail that do small things. we should be putting people away  for big things like killing other people or jumping people for  no reason at all.