Final answer:
True, under the Eighth Amendment, bails, fines, and punishments must be proportionate to the crime to prevent excessively harsh treatment. This constitutional protection ensures fairness and proportionality in the justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the Eighth Amendment which is part of the United States Constitution. The statement given by the student is true; under the Eighth Amendment, bails, fines, and punishments must fit the crime. This constitutional provision ensures that excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. The intention behind this amendment is to prevent any forms of punishment that are overly harsh or not in proportion to the crime committed.
It is important to understand that the Supreme Court has defined an excessive fine as one that is grossly disproportionate to the gravity of a defendant's offense. While historically, excessive bail and fines have rarely been successfully challenged in court, there have been recent legislative reforms in states like California aimed at addressing discriminatory practices within the bail system.