Goon’s initial cover, without question, doing for criminal attribute (5)
I believe the answer is:
guilt
'criminal attribute' is the definition.
'goon's initial cover without question' is the wordplay.
'goon's initial' becomes 'gu' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'cover' becomes 'quilt'.
'without' is a deletion indicator.
'question' becomes 'qu'.
'quilt' with 'qu' taken away is 'ilt'.
'gu'+'ilt'='GUILT'
'doing for' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for guilt that I've seen before include "State of having committed offence" , "Feeling of having done wrong" , "uncomfortable feeling" , "(Shame from) having done wrong" , "Responsibility for criminal offence" .)