Which amendment protects against self-incrimination?

The Fifth Amendment is the correct choice because it explicitly protects individuals from being compelled to testify against themselves in criminal cases, a principle known as the right against self-incrimination. This right is foundational in the American legal system, ensuring that individuals cannot be forced to provide evidence that could lead to their own conviction.

The amendment states, among other things, that no person "shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." This provision is critical in upholding the principle of innocent until proven guilty, as it prevents the government from coercing individuals into making self-incriminating statements.

The other amendments listed do not specifically address self-incrimination. The Fourth Amendment deals with protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the First Amendment protects freedoms such as speech and religion, and the Sixth Amendment provides rights related to criminal prosecutions, such as the right to a fair trial and legal counsel. Each of these amendments serves vital functions within the Bill of Rights but does not focus on the issue of self-incrimination like the Fifth Amendment does.