Where is The Joker During ‘The Dark Knight Rises?’

It was fairly obvious very early on that there would be no Joker in 'The Dark Knight Rises' and in the final version of the movie there isn't even a mention of the character in the film. So where is The Joker during the events of 'The Dark Knight Rises?' We may have an official answer.

Though there is no mention of The Joker in 'TDKR,' in the film's official novelization there is a mention of him in and some update on his status.  Here's an excerpt from the book that gives at least a little bit of an explanation:

Now that the Dent Act had made it all but impossible for the city’s criminals to cop an insanity plea, it (Blackgate Prison) had replaced Arkham Asylum as a preferred location for imprisoning both convicted and suspected felons. The worst of the worst were sent here, except for the Joker, who, rumor had it, was locked away as Arkham’s sole remaining inmate. Or perhaps he had escaped. Nobody was really sure. Not even Selina.

We're not sure why Selina Kyle would know where The Joker was (there's nothing connecting those two characters in Christopher Nolan's universe) but maybe they're just insinuating that Selina knows a lot about a lot of people.

It's interesting that the Joker is left at Arkham and that explains why The Joker wasn't running wild in the streets during the 'Dark Knight Rises' finale...

What do you think? Are you glad they left all mention of The Joker out of 'The Dark Knight Rises?'