Sorry criminal act receiving time (8)
I believe the answer is:
contrite
'sorry' is the definition.
('contrite' can be a synonym of 'sorry')
'criminal act receiving time' is the wordplay.
'criminal' becomes 'con' (abbreviation for 'convict').
'act' becomes 'rite' (rite is a kind of act**).
'receiving' is an insertion indicator.
'time' becomes 't'.
'con'+'rite'='conrite'
'conrite' going around 't' is 'CONTRITE'.
(Other definitions for contrite that I've seen before include "Feeling sorrow for sins" , "Repentant, remorseful" , "Full of remorse" , "Suffering remorse" , "Feeling remorse" .)