The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word IMPRISONMENT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
M
P
R
I
S
O
N
M
E
N
T
More clues leading to the result IMPRISONMENT
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "getting put in can" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case getting put in can = imprisonment.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does IMPRISONMENT mean?
IMPRISONMENT noun- A confinement in a place, especially a prison or a jail, as punishment for a crime.