Which constitutional amendment prohibits double jeopardy?

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution includes a provision that prohibits double jeopardy, which means that an individual cannot be tried twice for the same offense after either an acquittal or a conviction. This protection is fundamental to ensuring that individuals are not subjected to the stressful and often harmful consequences of being retried for the same crime, thereby upholding the principle of finality in legal proceedings.

The Fifth Amendment provides broader rights concerning legal proceedings, including the right against self-incrimination and guaranteeing due process. The prohibition of double jeopardy is specifically designed to prevent governmental abuse of the judicial process and to protect the rights of defendants in the criminal justice system.

Examining the other amendments: the Fourth deals with protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Sixth guarantees rights related to criminal prosecutions such as the right to a speedy trial and the right to counsel, and the Eighth addresses protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Thus, while all these amendments address critical aspects of legal rights, it is the Fifth that specifically prohibits an individual from facing trial for the same offense twice.