What does the 5th Amendment protect individuals from?

The Fifth Amendment provides several critical protections for individuals in the legal system, with a significant emphasis on protecting oneself from self-incrimination. This means that a person cannot be compelled to testify against themselves in a criminal case, ensuring that any confession or admission is made voluntarily and not under coercion. The principle behind this protection is to uphold the right to a fair trial and to prevent the government from forcing individuals to provide evidence that could be used against them.

The Fifth Amendment also addresses issues like due process and protection against double jeopardy, which prevents an individual from being tried twice for the same offense. However, the core protection related to individual choice and the integrity of legal proceedings revolves around the right against self-incrimination, making this the most relevant aspect of the amendment in this context.

This clarity on self-incrimination is essential in understanding how constitutional protections work to safeguard individual rights within the justice system.