History of the Massachusetts OIG

In 1980, the Legislature created the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General in passed Chapter 388 of the Acts of 1980.

The OIG's enabling statute is Chapter 12A of the General Laws (M.G.L. c. 12A). The OIG is the first statewide inspector general’s office in the country. It continues to be the only statewide office that also has oversight of all municipalities.   

The Ward Commission

The Special Commission Concerning State and County Buildings soon became known as the “Ward Commission” after its chair, John William Ward.  The Commission was created by the legislature to investigate alleged corruption in the awarding of state and county building projects, most notably, the UMass Boston campus. 

In 1980, the commission released its final report on public corruption in state and county building projects. The commission found that billions of dollars had been wasted on building projects. The 12-volume Ward Commission Report concluded that:

• Corruption was a way of life in the Commonwealth
• Political influence, not professional performance, was the main condition for doing business with the state
• Shoddy work and low standards were the norm

 “Our highest hope is that we will remind you [the Massachusetts legislature] and the public that it is possible for individuals, private and public, to care for what happens to our common life.” 
 
--John William Ward

Creation of the OIG

“…the Special Commission created the Office of the Inspector General, to build the capacity for self-correction into government itself.” – The Ward Commission Report

The Ward Commission recommended that the legislature establish an office of the inspector general rather than relying on special commissions to investigate corruption as had been its practice.  The Commission believed this was not an effective or consistent enough approach. It argued that public life was “in dire shape, indeed,” if it relied on special commissions, created periodically on the basis of public outrage at a problem or scandal, to “correct the ills of public life.”

In addition, the Ward Commission noted a "vast middle ground" between the State Auditor’s “ability to review all state transactions to a limited degree without the power to investigate” and the Attorney General’s "power to investigate allegations of fraud on a case-by-case basis."
 

Massachusetts Inspectors General

• Jeffrey S. Shapiro, Inspector General, October 3, 2022 – Present
• ​Natalie S. Monroe, Acting Inspector General, August 8, 2022 – October 2, 2022 
• Glenn A. Cunha, Inspector General, 2012 – 2022 (2 terms)
• Gregory W. Sullivan, Acting Inspector General, 2001 – 2002; Inspector General, 2002 – 2012 (2 terms)
• Robert A. Cerasoli, Inspector General, 1991 – 2001 (2 terms) 
• Joseph R. Barresi, Inspector General, 1981 – 1991 (2 terms) 

Last updated:	July 10, 2025