AFTER AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN LIQUOR INDUSTRY AND OF THE LIQUOR CONTROL REGULATIONS IMPOSED SINCE PROHIBITION, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE INDUSTRY'S FIVE-TIER STRUCTURE, COMPOSED OF DISTILLERS, DISTRIBUTORS, RETAILERS, DRINKERS, AND THE LEGAL ORDER. CONSISTENT WITH THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE EMPLOYED IN THIS ANALYSIS, ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE RELATIONSHIPS AND ACTIONS OF THIS SOCIAL STRUCTURE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE AND THE DRINKER-CONSUMER IS A BASIC FORM OF ATTENTION FROM LEVEL TO LEVEL. SPECIAL EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO CRIMINOGENIC ACTIVITIES WITHIN AND AMONG THE FIVE TIERS; THE CONCEPTS OF OPPORTUNITY, MEANS, AND MOTIVE ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THE LIQUOR BUSINESS. FURTHER STUDY IS CALLED FOR RELATIVE TO THE FREQUENCY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CRIMINOGENIC BEHAVIORS IN THIS AND OTHER AMERICAN INDUSTRIES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).