Cryptic crossword clue
They observe people in unexpected short stop in gaol 15

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 15 letter word ANTHROPOLOGISTS

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
N
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H
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "They observe people" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they observe people = anthropologists.
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 ANTHROPOLOGISTS mean?

ANTHROPOLOGISTS noun
  1. One who is versed in anthropology.

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