Which constitutional protection prohibits being tried twice for the same offense?

• A. Stop and frisk
• B. Double jeopardy
• C. Warrant
• D. Probable cause

Answer: (B)

Double jeopardy is the constitutional protection that bars being tried twice for the same offense. It comes from the Fifth Amendment and means that once a person has a final verdict—an acquittal or a conviction—the government cannot retry them for the same crime. It also prevents being punished twice for the same offense in related prosecutions. In short, after a final ruling, you cannot be put back in court for the same charged conduct, which preserves finality and protects against government harassment. If two different offenses truly require proving different elements, they may be prosecuted separately, but the core idea remains: you can’t be tried again for the same offense after a final decision.