Ordinary people don't live in the kind of circumstances where 
    they might wander into a felony conviction

Ohh I think you should be shocked at the number of felonies a person could commit on the course of everyday life. Felony is not just used for serious crimes. Almost every state have what are referred to a "catch all" felonies that can be brought against just about any one at any time if you piss off the right person in power.

dont fool yourself into think the legal system is anything other than a tool for oppression and control