Which example best fits the definition of ratio level measures?

The example of the number of times arrested best fits the definition of ratio level measures because it possesses all the characteristics that define this type of measurement. Ratio level measurements have a true zero point, allowing for the comparison of absolute differences and the calculation of meaningful ratios.

In the context of this example, "zero arrests" indicates the absence of arrests, which provides a clear, meaningful baseline. Additionally, it is possible to say that someone who has been arrested five times has had five more interactions with law enforcement than someone who has been arrested once, which demonstrates the ability to calculate ratios effectively.

The other examples do not meet the criteria for ratio level measures. For instance, race/ethnicity is a nominal level variable because it categorizes individuals without a meaningful order or numerical relationship. Security levels in prisons might be ordinal, representing a hierarchy, but do not have a true zero or allow for meaningful ratios. Temperature measurements, while they can have a zero point in some scales (like Kelvin), do not strictly qualify as ratio measures when using the Celsius or Fahrenheit scales, where zero does not indicate an absence of temperature. Thus, the number of times arrested is the only option that fully embodies the properties of ratio level measurement.