What does the Eighth Amendment protect against?

The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides protections against excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. In this context, the correct choice focuses specifically on the protection against excessive bail. The intention behind this protection is to ensure that bail amounts are not set at an excessively high level, which could effectively deny individuals their right to be released from custody while awaiting trial, especially if they cannot afford to pay.

While the amendment also addresses excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments, the focus of the question specifically ties to bail, making that the most accurate response. This clarification highlights the importance of understanding the nuances of constitutional protections and how they apply in legal contexts.