Alcohol-related aggression is an important social and health problem with alcohol involved in about 50 percent of violent crime. To prevent alcohol violence, the need to look beyond alcohol and consider all of the potential contributing factors and their probable mechanisms of influence is recommended. Commercial drinking establishments are settings that previous research has shown to be high risk for both aggression and injury. This paper draws on theories of routine activities, situational crime prevention, the effects of alcohol, and the interactional nature of aggression to develop a model of the factors that contribute to aggression in drinking establishments. The model includes six components: (1) the presence of willing participants; (2) the role of guardians, handlers, and place managers; (3) environmental deterrents of aggression; (4) environmental precipitators of aggression; (5) theories regarding the effects for alcohol that contribute to increased risk of aggression; and (6) social interaction theory relevant to the process of aggressive incidents in drinking establishments. The model shows that by focusing on key staff and environmental deterrents, in addition to interventions to reduce the effects of intoxication can help to reduce violence and injury in drinking establishments. Also, knowledge of social interaction processes of aggression in drinking establishments can also be used to ensure that when conflicts arise, they are managed appropriately by staff. The model provides a basis for developing a range of strategies to reduce barroom aggression. 1 figure and 81 references