The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BREAKOUT
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
R
E
A
K
O
U
T
More clues leading to the result BREAKOUT
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Escape from jail" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case escape from jail = breakout.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 BREAKOUT mean?
BREAKOUT noun- An escape from prison.
- An escape from any restrictive or confining situation.
- An outbreak.
- A breakdown of statistics; a detailed view of component parts.
- A room in a hotel etc. that can be taken by a smaller group at a large conference.
- Of a book, film, or other work: leading its author to mainstream success.