What does the 4th Amendment specifically protect against?

The 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution specifically protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. This means that law enforcement must have a valid reason, typically supported by probable cause, to conduct a search of a person’s property or to seize their person or belongings. The protections offered by the 4th Amendment ensure that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their homes and personal effects, guarding against arbitrary governmental intrusion.

This amendment is crucial in upholding the principle of individual liberty and autonomy, and any search or seizure that occurs without proper justification is generally considered a violation of an individual's rights. In practice, this also means that evidence obtained through unlawful searches cannot typically be used against a defendant in a court of law, a principle known as the exclusionary rule.

The other options pertain to different protections offered in the Constitution: excessive bail and fines are addressed by the 8th Amendment, self-incrimination is covered by the 5th Amendment, and double jeopardy is also protected by the 5th Amendment.