Prisoners split by scramble for lots (8)
I believe the answer is:
lashings
'lots' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'prisoners split by scramble' is the wordplay.
'prisoners' becomes 'lags'.
'split by' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'scramble' becomes 'shin' (synonyms).
'lags' placed around 'shin' is 'LASHINGS'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for lashings that I've seen before include "They secure" , "Lots and lots" , "punishment" , "a great deal" , "Great quantity" .)