Final answer:
The average age of female inmates in the U.S. is not given in the provided references, but evidence of an aging inmate population and longer life expectancy for women suggests that female inmates would have an older average age compared to males.
Step-by-step explanation:
The average age of female inmates in the U.S. is not explicitly provided in the reference material; however, it is suggested that the elderly prison population is substantial and growing. The tough-on-crime policies from the past have contributed to an aging prison demographic, as people incarcerated decades ago are becoming senior citizens within the correctional system. This phenomenon is compounded by the overall aging of the U.S. population, including the female population, which tends to live longer than the male population, resulting in an older average age among female inmates as well.
The referenced materials mention the increasing percentage of the prison population over the age of 50, signifying that a considerable part of the inmate population can be considered older adults. Additionally, life expectancy data shows that women in the general population live longer than men, which can hint at an older average age for female inmates compared to their male counterparts. While we cannot provide a definitive answer without specific statistics on female inmate ages, the context points towards an older average age for women in prison.