Louis D. Brown Peace Institute asks Legislature for $1 million in homicide-survivor support

Chaplain Clementina Sherry, president and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, and co‑executive director Rachel Rodriguez asked the Joint Committee on Ways and Means to fund line item 5413-1098 at $1,000,000 for statewide homicide-survivor services including outreach, burial assistance and grief counseling.

"We respectfully request funding in line item 5413-1098 in the amount of $1,000,000," Sherry told the committee. Rodriguez added that the Peace Institute serves families across the Commonwealth and that the lifetime public cost to investigate, prosecute and incarcerate a single homicide can exceed $2,000,000 — making investments in survivors and prevention cost‑effective in the speakers’ view.

The witnesses proposed specific language allocating no less than $850,000 to the Peace Institute for statewide support and setting aside at least $150,000 to distribute as survivors’ grants across Massachusetts. They said their services provide immediate crisis response (24–72 hours), case management and long‑term healing supports for families impacted by homicide.

Committee members thanked the witnesses. No formal appropriation or amendment was made during the hearing; the request will be evaluated in the committee’s FY27 budget deliberations.

Provenance: testimony by Chaplain Clementina Sherry and Rachel Rodriguez during the FY27 Ways and Means public hearing.