Which legal principle prevents an individual from being tried for the same crime twice?

The legal principle that prevents an individual from being tried for the same crime twice is known as double jeopardy. This principle is a fundamental protection provided in the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which protects individuals from facing legal consequences for an act for which they have already been acquitted or convicted. The rationale behind this principle is to ensure that the government cannot subject a person to the emotional and financial burden of multiple trials for the same offense, thereby upholding the integrity of the judicial system and the finality of verdicts.

In this context, it's essential to understand that while "res judicata" refers to the concept of claim preclusion, which prevents the relitigation of the same claim in civil cases, it does not specifically address the criminal law principle of double jeopardy. Similarly, "colloquy" pertains to a legal dialogue or discussion and is not relevant to the question at hand. "Stare decisis" refers to the legal doctrine of adhering to precedent, which helps maintain consistency in the law but does not directly relate to the issue of being tried for the same crime more than once. Thus, double jeopardy is the correct answer as it specifically addresses the prohibition against multiple prosecutions for the same offense.