I actually got a ticket once in Pasadena, CA about 25 years ago. Since then no problem.
Is it usually a local or a state law?
Here’s a summary for California. I don’t know how accurate it is.
http://www.legal-news-california.tozerlaw.com/jaywalking_california.html
Generally (though by no means always), local jaywalking ordinances aren’t enforced unless there is an obvious barrier to crossing (like a fence or hedge) which you climb over/under/whatever in order to jaywalk.
IANAL, IIMFIYGA, URSOL, etc.
Here are a couple of Pasadena ordinances:
10.32.020 Crosswalks–Use required.
No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than by a crosswalk in any business district.
(Ord. 4143 § 1 (8.02), 1950)
10.32.030 Crossing at right angles.
No pedestrian shall cross a roadway at any place other than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb except in a marked crosswalk.
(Ord. 4143 § 1 (8.03), 1950)
I have seen police give tickets in places where jaywalking can create a hazard, such as a busy multi-lane street.
Such minor violations can be used by the local police to target minorities they dislike.
For many years, 90%+ of the jaywalking tickets issued in Minneapolis were in one specific block. The main public library had a large parking lot, which was open & unused at night. It was right across the street from the largest gay bar in the state, which was short on parking. People would park in the open library lot, and then rather than walking down to the crosswalk at the end of the street, they would just cut across the street. And the Minneapolis police would stop them, and issue a jaywalking ticket (tossing in a few choice insults at the same time).
Downtown was much busier during the day, and businessmen & workers cut across streets all the time (especially pre-skyways), but nearly all the jaywalking tickets were in the 400 block of Hennepin Avenue, between 8pm and 2am. Funny, that.
A pretty good indicator is if everyone waits for the Walk signal to walk.