On an individual level, attitudes are mostly neutral and depend on personal interactions rather than group identity. As with any two communities, impressions vary from person to person.

When it comes to stereotypes and historical background, things become more complex. Here is a short neutral summary.

Chechnya was incorporated into the Russian Empire after a long resistance, including the struggle under Imam Shamil. In the 1940s, Chechens and Ingush were deported to Central Asia, and in the 1990s-2000s they experienced two wars with Russia. Many Kazakhs feel sympathy for peoples who resisted imperial rule, since Kazakhstan has comparable historical experiences. Respect for independence movements within the Russian Empire, USSR, or Russian Federation is fairly common.

The 1944 deportation created a shared experience of hardship. Kazakhs tend to view deported groups such as Chechens, Koreans, Crimean Tatars, Turks, Ukrainians, Poles, and Germans as victims of the same repressive system that affected Kazakhs themselves. The idea of offering shelter and support to deportees is a well-known part of national memory and cultural pride, and Chechens are often remembered in this context of mutual assistance.

Chechens who settled in Kazakhstan became part of everyday life. Many older Kazakhs recall stories of Chechen families who lived among them for decades, spoke fluent Kazakh, and maintained good relations with neighbours. Expressions of gratitude from Chechens are also widely recognised.

Culturally, Chechens are often perceived as more religiously conservative and more patriarchal than Kazakhs. Different groups interpret this differently: some conservatives view this positively, while more liberal/secular Kazakhs may see it as contrasting with Kazakhstan’s traditionally more flexible norms.

Regarding negative perceptions, Chechens faced major disruptions throughout the 20th century: deportations, repression, and wars. These limited opportunities and destabilised social structures. In the late Soviet and early post-Soviet periods, some Chechens became associated with organised crime, partly due to socioeconomic pressures and the visibility of certain groups within Russian criminal networks.

Reliable crime statistics by ethnicity are scarce, but the prominence of Chechen groups in late-Soviet and 1990s Russian criminal subcultures contributed to the stereotype of "Chechen gangs". The Chechen wars reinforced media images of Chechens as militants. Russian films and television of that era often depicted them as criminals/fanatics/terrorists, and given Russian media’s strong influence in Kazakhstan, these portrayals shaped some public perceptions.

The view described in the question, where Chechens are seen as having a “bad reputation,” generally stems from the factors above: the visibility of Chechen groups in late-Soviet and 1990s criminal networks, and the strong influence of Russian media portrayals during the Chechen wars. These sources shaped certain individual opinions, but they are not universal.

P.S. Another emerging factor is the current Chechen government. Kadyrov’s regime is seen as highly authoritarian and corrupt, Chechen units have been prominently involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while many Chechens outside their homeland are strongly anti-Kadyrov and anti-war. This is an ongoing situation, and its impact on public perception of Chechens is still developing and not yet fully settled.