Which amendment protects inmates from cruel and unusual punishment?

• A. First Amendment.
• B. Eighth Amendment.
• C. Fourth Amendment.
• D. Sixth Amendment.

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that the protection against cruel and unusual punishment comes from the Eighth Amendment. This amendment bars torture and other forms of punishment that are considered inhumane, and it extends to how people are treated in prison. Courts interpret it to require humane conditions of confinement and adequate medical care for inmates; when prison officials knowingly ignore an inmate’s health or safety, that can violate the Eighth Amendment. A landmark example is Estelle v. Gamble, which held that deliberate indifference to a prisoner's medical needs could establish a constitutional violation. The other amendments cover different rights—speech and religion (First), protection against unreasonable searches (Fourth), and rights to counsel and a fair trial (Sixth)—but they don’t address the fundamental protection against cruel or unusual punishment inside correctional facilities.