] But from what I can tell, the penalties laid out for
] downloading one season of a TV show with BitTorrent are
] much harsher than if you actually stole a DVD set of the
] same show from a government store. I lay out a practical
] example in detail below, but to cut to the chase: For
] stealing the DVD you could face no more than up to 1 year
] imprisonment and up to a $100,000 fine; for downloading
] the same material you could face statutory damages of up
] to $3,300,000, costs and attorney's fees (ie: the other
] guy's attorneys), as well as up to 1 year imprisonment,
] and up to a $100,000 fine.

A legal analysis of the punishments set forth for shoplifting a physical item versus downloading a TV show off of bit torrent. Links to all applicable case law are provided.

Off The Shelf - Stealing is cheaper than downloading