What does "double jeopardy" prevent?

Double jeopardy is a legal principle that protects individuals from being prosecuted twice for the same offense after either an acquittal or a conviction. This principle is encapsulated in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ensures that no person can face multiple trials for the same crime, safeguarding against the government’s power to abuse the judicial process by repeatedly harassing an individual through successive prosecutions for the same act.

The options regarding trials for multiple charges and appeals do not relate to the double jeopardy clause as they involve different legal protections and rights. Similarly, the idea of being detained without trial pertains to other legal standards and constitutional rights, such as due process. Hence, the recognition of double jeopardy specifically focuses on the prevention of retrial for the same offense, affirming the finality of a judicial decision regarding that particular crime.