The Massey Commission has released its final report, a year after the panel was formed in the aftermath of Sonya Massey’s murder. The commission released a statement:
Born from a moment of tragedy and moral urgency, the Massey Commission was charged with a simple but demanding task: listen to the people and experts, name and identify what is broken, and chart a path toward something better. The final report answers that charge clearly with specific, actionable recommendations that touch every part of the safety and care ecosystem.
“This report is what happens when a community refuses to look away,” said Joann Johnson, Massey Commission Co-Chair. “Inside are the stories, data, and solutions that our neighbors trusted us to carry forward. Now we’re placing them in the hands of the public and saying: this belongs to you.”
The report:
● Summarizes the Commission’s public hearings, listening sessions, and research.
● Identifies and names the gaps in public safety, mental health, transparency, and accountability that community members confront on a daily basis.
● Offers concrete Calls to Action for county agencies, local governments, schools, law enforcement agencies, and community partners to take ownership of.
We are asking everyone to share the report with friends, family, faith leaders, teachers, business owners, elected officials, community organizations, and neighborhood groups.
“We want people to dog-ear these pages and highlight your favorite parts, quote them at meetings, and bring them to public comment,” said Dr Kelly Hurst, Managing Director of the Massey Commission. “If this report lives in the hands of the people, it cannot be ignored.”
What comes next:
The Commission’s formal work has concluded, but the hardest and most important work, implementation, begins now. Over the next several months:
● Massey Commission Co-Chairs and staff will present the final report to the Sangamon County Board on their meeting on December 9th at 6:00 PM
● Commission staff will work with the Sangamon County Board and other local bodies on the Calls to Action.
● Community partners will organize listening/feedback sessions and public forums to unpack the recommendations and identify priorities.
● Residents will be invited to join working groups, listening sessions, advocacy campaigns, and accountability efforts to ensure this report does not sit on a shelf gathering dust.
The Massey Commission’s final report is not just a document; it is a dedicated promise that the suffering that brought this community together will not be in vain. It is a call to turn mourning into movement and recommendations into reality. It is a blueprint, a roadmap, to a healthier community.
