Why does the fifth amendment matter today? it prevents people accused of crimes from being sent far away to plead their case alone in front of a single judge. the amendment protects the rights of children and minors that are not covered by other language in the constitution. without this amendment, it would not be possible to pass laws to protect our right to use new technologies and ideas. if it didn’t exist, an innocent person could be forced to speak at their trial and may say something bad out of nervousness.